We're so easily distracted that sitting down to read doesn't last long. We're often tempted by the buzzing of our phones beside us. Curiosity killed the cat, so we pick up our phones. The bright screens illuminate our faces as we scroll further and further away from a place of concentration. Finally, we place our phones down and pick our book back up. It's hard for us, though. Distraction lurks at every page turn.
Books deserve a particular kind of attention. It's almost unfair how easily our minds trail off as our eyes scan across a page and fail to retain any of the words that were just "read." We go on autopilot.
Not many people deliberately choose to pick up a book in their spare time anymore. When you ask someone what their hobbies are, it's rare for someone to say they read. Not uncommon, but rarer with younger generations. Reading truly is a lost art.
There's something special about holding a tangible book in your hands and finding that perfect reading spot, whether that be a comfy chair in your room, a cozy corner in your favorite cafe, a hammock in your backyard... the list goes on. Books are an escape.
Books are extremely powerful. They have the ability to make us laugh out loud on the commute to work, make us cry in cafes in front of complete strangers, and place us in another temporary reality. For the duration of time, you sit with a book in hand, you're not really here. You're there; wherever your book takes place.
One of the unique concepts about books is that everyone imagines something completely different in their minds. We all create what the main characters look like, what their voice sounds like, what the scenery looks like, so on and so forth. Each and every visual detail is unique to you. This is often times why most people opt to read the book before watching the movie.
You may picture the main character to be tall with brown hair, brown eyes and glasses, while another reader envisions the main character to be short with auburn hair and no glasses. Even if an author describes a character as having long flowing brown hair and green eyes, none of us imagine the exact same flowing brown hair and green eyes.
Don't discredit the power of a good book. To some it feels more like a chore than a hobby. We would rather watch something on Netflix because it requires less brain power. It'sOK to feel too tired to pick up a book once in a while, but don't let this be the excuse every time.
I challenge you to pick out a book you're interested in, find a reading spot, place your phone in a completely unreachable area so it's out of sight and out of mind, and just read.
