Reading; a delectable fare for my soul by Anya (Ahana) M

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“Pick whatever you want,” my mother exclaimed and looked me in the eyes. As I stood in the high walled bookstore, I couldn't help but feel intimidated. I shuffled around the room and picked up the first book I found. When I reached the cashier, he looked at me and asked whether I read a lot. I stared back at him, embarrassed by the truth of not opening a book in the past year, and instead smiled back without a response. As I reached home that day and opened the paperback, the words jumped out at me. Captivated by the story I finished it within the night. But I wasn't convinced. After all, reading was a foreign activity to me. Now I look back at this innocent memory and smile; it was the start to my journey with words and stories. Ever since then, the world within books and I have been inseparable.

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The general public has a preconceived notion that reading relates to the idea of thick spined leather books filled to the brim with metaphors and analogies. But, upon further exploration I realised that this idea was completely false and there is something for everyone. Personally, entering these fantasy castles and magical forests helps me with my mental wellness but also improves my social skills and wellbeing.

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As I delve into different genres and tales I am able to effectively communicate with various people from different backgrounds thus improving my social wellbeing. I am able to understand culture on a personal level by reading about characters who have grown up and lived in different areas of the world. Furthermore I am able to improve my empathy skills. During the pandemic, where we were all shutout in our own houses, I used empathy skills to understand the challenges faced by everyone. To help them further I continued to recommend books to allow for common connections to form and to help them feel less isolated. I am able to understand perspectives and contour my responses towards situations by putting myself in the position of people who have had different experiences and led different lives than me. Discussing books with people also intrigues me. Listening to different opinions on a similar text really allows me to know somebody on a deeper, intellectual level. In my old school, I actively participated in the Literary Society, a group of avid readers and analysers. By the end of the year, I knew everyone so well due to the way I was able to tell characteristics and personality through opinions on the same text. And although I miss the initial group that I worked with, when I moved to NIST I was able to participate in “Reading and Writing Enthusiasts”, a group that tests their book knowledge by joining quizzes and discussing books together.

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But not only am I able to connect with people and form lifelong friendships, I am able to relax and wind down by entering these gripping stories and tales. It also allows me to have a clearer perspective of my life and the problems that I face. When judged against a character who has lost their whole family, the miniscule issue of my friend not replying to my message is brushed away and the magnitude of my everyday problems die down. Going along with that, I am also able to escape the hectic nature of my daily life when I enter a new fantasy or dystopian universe. This certainly helps me deal with the stress of academics and deadlines which often bear a huge weight on my mind as I reward myself by reading after finishing important tasks. I am also able to improve my imagination, as when I read, I often have to envision the lifestyle within the text in my mind.

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The other day my mother and I found ourselves back in the very same bookstore. Gone was the feeling of intimidation and the rows of books seemed to beckon me. I carefully looked through the vast array of books around and found the next story calling me.