We just passed World Book Day and it reminded me of the pleasure
of reading. In fact, reading is the cheapest and easiest form of
intellectual pleasure. TV and movies may be fun, but
are rarely intellectual.
There are various ways
in which pleasures may be derived. It may be the pleasures of
eating delicious food, listening to music, sitting in the cool
shade of a tree and enjoying the beauty of nature, inhaling the
perfume of flowers, or simply delighting in the soft touch of
petals. These, basically, are pleasures of the senses.
Reading, however, is
an Intellectual Pleasure and should be nurtured from an early
age. Learning the truths of science or philosophy is also a form
of intellectual pleasure.
There are various
elements that make reading a pleasure. The reader may appreciate
the style of the author, the language skills used in expressing
ideas, or the arrangement of ideas. Logical sequence of thoughts
or the thoughts themselves may also be appealing. The pleasures
of reading are truly inexhaustible as there are a variety of
books, essays, novels, dramas, sagas, poems, and speeches.
The sages of old
recommend that whenever you feel dejected, depressed and under
the weather, get into the company of great authors and read
their books. Books can be your never failing friends and they
can never get you into trouble.
Reading improves your
vocabulary and enhances your imagination. The more you read, the
more knowledgeable you become. With more knowledge comes more
confidence and confidence builds self-esteem. Reading widens
your horizons. Finally, reading exercises your memory muscles. I
hope my blog and my books provide fodder for great
conversations.