Thursday, July 1, 2010

Reading


Watching my beginning reader son struggle with the difficult words, I realised that few things build up character as much as reading does. Without a lot of perseverance, it is unlikely that you would ever have graduated to the stage of reading books for pleasure.

Once you start reading, books constantly challenge and stimulate you. You are introduced to new and often uncomfortable ideas, and unless you learn to process them, you will eventually stop reading. Reading does make you a better person.

No wonder, therefore, the one thing all my friends have in common is the love for Reading.


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A drabble is a story told in exactly 100 words.

20 comments:

Jan Morrison said...

today is Canada Day. I spent from 7:30 to 10 AM in bed reading! Only on a holiday. In my family of origin one could get out of most anything if you had a book in your hands. A great strategy for producing readers...

Mason Canyon said...

You can't go wrong with the love of reading. I think reading inspires us in more ways than we realize daily.

Cute photo.

Mason
Thoughts in Progress

Anonymous said...

Rayna - You're absolutely right; reading really does build character, doesn't it? And your well-written drabble also makes the important point that it's not just the act of reading, but also the interaction that the reader has with the book.

That's one reason for which I think it's so important for children to be exposed to reading early in their lives. Children who learn about books early in life are more likely to develop a lifelong love of reading.

Deb and Barbara said...

So true! I love the observation that reading builds character. The challenges exemplify how all challenges should be overcome -- and how perseverance will bring the greatest reward.

And like Jan, on this Canada Day, I lolled in bed and read a great Canadian book: The Outlander by Gil Adamson. Poetry in motion.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely right! I certainly hope my kids find a passion for reading - just like I have.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Cute picture! Love the drabble. Today is the perfect day for reading--overcast and rainy. :)

LTM said...

PRECIOUS!!! oh, and look at little brother listening. sniff! mine don't do that anymore~ good stuff!

Unknown said...

I want so badly for my daughter to love reading. She's okay with it, but it's far down on her list of fun things to do. :-(

KCSherri said...

I love to read.

Heaven, for me, would be an endless library and nothing but time.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

One of the greatest joys of my life was learning how to read. I still remember how exciting it was!

Patricia Stoltey said...

The worst moment of my childhood came the day I realized I would never be able to read all the books in the world. I still feel kind of bad about that.

Stephanie Faris said...

I read constantly as a child. I think it definitely makes us well rounded and better spoken. The only downside is bad vision! Although I guess that could be hereditary, so maybe it's not the fault of all that reading?

Hart Johnson said...

I love this, Natasha! It's so true, that we learn and grow, and be exposing ourselves to more, learn to THINK.

Jemi Fraser said...

I learned to read early and haven't stopped. I became a teacher so I could share my love of reading with kids. It's powerful stuff.

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

As usual Rayna this is wonderful,
reading gives much pleasure, I was always reading as a child,

Yvonne.

Ella said...

Reading is a gift, a way to travel without living your bed, your couch. A way to move your soul. It can education you, inspire, stimulate or horrify you!
I love reading...

Unknown said...

Rayna- In September, I am going to read this to my students. I am always telling them, "How do you expect to be a better reader if you refuse to read? Start with a book that is interesting and at your skill level. Then move on to books or stories that are a little challenging."

Great post!

dipali said...

The very thought of being unable to read for any reason is a scary one. Awesome picture of your boys. My sister and I used to be like that- I would plague her to read to me:)

Unknown said...

Very cute story!

Natasha said...

@ Jan- isn't that the best way to celebrate any holiday?

@ Mason- when I think of the people I have called friends, the one thing they all shared was a love for books. Must tell you something about the power of the written word.

@ Margot- couldn't agree with you more. The sooner kids are exposed to books, the greater the chance that they will continue to love them. I cannot do without the feel of paper. Can you?

@ Barbara- thank you. Readers are generally more open to listening to new ideas- they may or may not adopt them, but most of them consider them before rejecting them.
Not read the book- must. Sounds like my kind of book.

@ Fiona- reader mothers almsot always produce reader kids.

@ Elizabeth- nothing can be better than a day like that for curling up in bed with a good book.

@ LTM - the younger one is a born actor- he may well have been doing it for the camera!

@ Mary- as long as she is okay with it, I guess it is good enough for now. After all, kids these days have so many distractions.

@ Sherrie - my heaven would be something similar too.

@ Debra- perhaps the greatest joy of all.

@ Patricia- my son and I had that conversation today. He asked me if I had read all the books, and then asked if anyone had done so. He sounded very disappointed to know that nobody had or could.

@ Stephanie- I can live with bad vision, as long as I can read. I too have bad vision, and it is not hereditary, but who cares?

@ Alex - it is, isn't it?

@ Tami- reading makes us complete, doesn't it?

@ Jemi- you are the best kind of teacher there could be. Yes, really.

@ Yvonne - and that shows in your poems. They are wonderful.

@ Ellie- like you, I cannot imagine a world without books.

@ Chary- so true. Start at your level, then gradually move up.

@ dipali- it is a scary thought, isn't it? And I wonder if my kids would remember their reading sessions.

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