Literature is important. It spans over periods and centuries, beginning from the first forms of written communication. Communication is a big deal. Writing helps us communicate, which means it's also a big deal. But the whole point of communicating and writing is to have someone read your finished product and gain something from it. This is why reading is such a very vital step in this process, and why it is very important to anyone who loves to gain knowledge.

1. We Read To Learn

With modern technologies, humans can decipher and read things that were written hundreds and hundreds of years ago. From old English to hieroglyphics, humans have found ways to understand exactly what these things mean in our own languages. We read what was written to find out what our ancestors knew about the world. This is necessary because we then can build from what humanity has already learned to create even more advances in science and technology. We also read to learn from the history created before our time.

“Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” – George Santayana

2. We Read To Connect

Reading is a universal language. It connects countries, cultures, and lives. Languages can be translated so that others can read from a different perspective in another country. Reading connects all of us. It helps us understand each other, and the world around us. It is vital to gain a broader world view and a broader view of the past. It helps us to gain empathy for those unlike us and sympathy for those who share a similar story. It is a pathway to human understanding.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss

3. We Read To Lose Ourselves

Let’s face it, we’ve all sunk into a good book that we couldn’t stop reading. Some books just have that effect on people. Books, whether fiction or non-fiction, take the reader to a brand-new world, where exploration and possibilities are endless. Fiction is fantastical – it allows the reader to fly on the back of a dragon or shrink to the size of a penny. It allows the reader to escape the mundane world for a while. Non-fiction excites the reader, gets them thinking about the story and wondering what happened next in the lives of its characters. Either way, we read leisure novels in order to fall into a character’s life, to go into a different place for a little bit.

“Books are a uniquely portable magic.” – Stephen King

Whatever it is that you read, it will always hold a place near and dear to your heart. Read with all your might, you'll be astounded at what you can learn or the places you can go!