These days, there seems to be a decreasing appreciation of books. Children are moving onto technology to read their various school texts, fun reading, and what not. This saddens me deeply. For not only are books completely necessary to learning how to read, but they are also missing out on the intimate experience of actually caressing each page, and gripping the substantial text within their fingers as they might linger unto every printed word upon the crisp page. Even the very smell of a book is simply amazing for me, I can remember the scents of books very clearly. Older books usually have like a "fire" type smell to me. It intoxicates me to sit and day-dream about the people decades ago that might have held this book and done the same things I am doing. This is a crucial experience in my opinion. This is what helped me find my love for books, for reading, for knowledge. I feel like technology is somewhat cold, although it is necessary as well. i understand that technology is only growing and will one day be upon us all. However I also understand that for us to continue and thrive as a society, we must not forget our roots, where we come from, and even basic traditions like reading books; knowing how to treat a book and other "old school" objects.
Books are what open doors to unimaginable things. Books can either broaden your imagination, or tell you about the past. Books give object to so many different views and ways of thinking that they are nearly priceless in intellectual value. Books are doors into the souls of those who read and write them. Books are timeless. They can be rewritten, adjusted, kept, and preserved so that generation after generation has access to them. Very old books are priceless and to me, intoxicating. I love them because when I hold a book that's over a hundred years old... I can only imagine how many other people have held and read this book. How many souls have breathed and cried over the pages. The smudged fingerprints and indention marks that have lasted decades. It's almost like a shred every reader's essence is interlaced with the words of the page, and as you read it, a part of you joins them. It's not the same learning experience when you highlight or mark a page using an ebook, or online text. It really makes a difference when you actually have to get a highlighter pen and swiftly draw your bright color over the words you're keepsaking.
Please, remember to read books. Encourage your children to find a love for books! Praise others for openly reading in public! Find old books and smell, touch, and adore them! Don't let books die out, and don't underestimate the power of books. Just like the internet today, books hold the limitless power of knowledge. And at some point in everyone's life, there will be a time where you crave such knowledge for whatever reasons. Books will always "be there" for us, to guide us and help us prosper. Thank you!
