Ever since I was a little girl, I've loved books. Even before I could read, I was fascinated by the words written and the images illustrated. I remember sitting next to my mom or my grandma in awe as I looked at these pages and listened to incredible stories. Soon enough, I got tired of listening and wanted to read those stories for myself. My grandma taught me how to read, and I haven't stopped reading since. Whenever I'm bored or have nothing to do, I pick up a book and it simply makes me very happy. Here are the reasons why I love reading.

1. It takes me on a journey and to a whole new world.

When I read, especially when it's a really good book, I feel like I'm ripped away from reality and transported to a different universe, where the characters and their stories live. The reason why I love this feeling is because it gives me a way to relax. Suddenly, I forget whatever problems or troubles I'm going through and I am completely immersed in someone else's story. There's no greater feeling.

2. It's given me a lot of imagination

I've always been creative — being passionate about enjoying and creating art in its many different forms. I think I partially owe this trait of my personality to reading. Reading books has taught me how to imagine people, places and situations in realistic ways. I am able to create mental visualizations of written words, kind of like a little movie in my head. I think that's the coolest thing about reading. It also gives me total control and freedom to imagine things in my own way, that is completely different from someone else's.

3. It has made me open minded

Reading about so many different characters and their stories has made me more open minded and understanding. I think that I have learned that everyone has a story and everyone has a different background. I can't judge someone when I don't know them or where they come from. Books have also made me more accepting because I realized that everyone is different and events in our lives often cause us to act in a certain way and take certain actions.

4. It has taught me a lot

This may sound obvious, but I really did learn a lot from books. I'm not referring to academic textbooks, but I'm talking about novels. From learning a new language, to enriching my vocabulary, to learning how to write, the list goes on and on. Nevertheless, books regardless of what some like to say, are a great tools to learn. Among many other things, they teach us to form our own opinions and interpret events the way we feel is best. They also teach us a lot about ourselves.

In addition, I find that reading is a great way to pass time, and it is also a great conversation starter. I find that once I start talking about a book I love, I really can't stop, and I feel connected to someone who feels the same way. I am totally aware of the fact that there are many people that don't agree with me or don't find any appeal in books. While I can't say I understand their reasons, I can say that my love for books will not change any time soon.