The Power of Books (Student Blog Series)

4/23/19

By Ana Valeria Luque

Books are doors that help us connect with characters in fictional worlds or act simply as an escape, allowing us to exist in other universes. To me, books have been there since I was a small child—in them, I discovered a world full of possibilities, curiosities, and wonders.

Books can be used to escape reality for the briefest moment, especially when you are hanging onto every single word the characters and narrator utters. I’m now also understanding that books are really a comfort source, because they make you feel every human emotion.

Essentially, books bring a young, eager mind entertainment. A way to feel happiness and comfort.

I started reading when I was young. It started as a simple hobby, and as I grew, it transformed into something else: a burning passion, an addiction, almost.

It was fun to read everywhere: during lunch, in the car, or at the pool. Reading like that makes you develop into becoming a fast reader, which has its advantages. You can easily read for your yearly school book reports, acquire reading comprehension, and even read a new chapter of a book every night. It’s entertaining and I guarantee it works.

I brought a new book with me every day at school—and I couldn’t stop. It was a healthy addiction, as it expanded my imagination and knowledge.

As I look back, I see that books became a source of comfort for me; they helped me “escape” in between classes and encourage me to study and finish homework early so I could continue reading. They often became great friends when I needed them to be.

Thankfully, I’m happy with my life, and everything that’s been going on. When I first began Laurel Springs, I started exploring all types of possibilities. My love for books has changed, but it’s still there.

My relationship with reading has certainly evolved, becoming a way to distract myself. It helps me take a break from schoolwork, it makes me feel like studying is worth it, that all sacrifices are worth it, and that everything we do in life is worth it.

We cry, we smile, we suffer, but we’re still alive. We have to cherish every moment we have on Earth, as we don’t know which will be our last. You see, life is short, and it has to be lived without regrets. Books can help us understand that the world is an ever-changing place, and they can be the greatest friend you find in life.

The whole point of this isn’t for you, the reader, to wonder what this post is about. No, I’m writing this because I want you to know that books can change human beings in magnificent ways. They can make you a better person and gift you with the knowledge of the world.

We all need an escape from the sacrifices we make. It doesn’t matter if you’re an athlete, an aspiring scientist or mathematician, an actor, or just a scholar wanting to leave a mark in the world – we need to escape on occasion. Books can help you do that, because, after all, just like Ernest Hemingway said, “There is no friend as loyal as a book.”