Reading Matters

By Kelly Bridgewater

I know.

We have all heard that reading matters. Even have been forced to read since we learned to read when we were little. Time set aside at school to read. Most bookworms like me, I'm sure, looked forward to that time in the school sessions stuck between Science (Yuck!) and Health (Yuck!).

But reading also takes us places.

Sometimes in Fantasy, we learn and explore new creations. How many of us have been to Narnia, Middle Earth, or Hogwarts through the author's creation? I love being able to suspend reality and explore something I have no knowledge of.

What about traveling to an unfamiliar and foreign country?

I have been to England, Ireland, Poland, Germany, and Israel just through reading. I love seeing and visiting England in the past. It sparks my imagination and deepens my cravings to visit these places in real life.

Reading also teaches us more about the past.

From Goodreads

Being a huge World War II buff, I love learning about the heroes of that time period. Since I wasn't around during that time, I enjoy learning about different aspect of the war. From the concentration camps to the Battle of Britain.

I have read Biblical fiction that made the characters of the Bible appear more realistic and admire them more than the information I learn from reading the Bible.

I love reading suspense novels, so I love learning about how the police works and seeing the inside world of their loves.

One of my biggest argument for reading fiction is I can learn more about a certain topic versus reading the thousands of non-fiction topics written out there.

For instance, our Sunday school class did a lesson on forgiveness, and I can't tell you anything the class taught me, but I recommended reading Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke to learn about forgiveness. Easier to digest.

What about you? What does reading fiction do to you?