When Stories Found Me

I wasn’t a person with a natural inclination for reading. I only recall when I started—it was in my late teens. I remember taking it up a notch when I went to university. I met some interesting friends who also encouraged me to read more. Someone recommended Francine Rivers’ book Redeeming Love, and I still remember the position I took in our living room while reading it. When the electricity went out, I vividly remember using a flashlight to continue. That was the moment it dawned on me how powerful books are in transforming us—because after reading Redeeming Love, I felt so overwhelmed by the love of God, being a Christian.

Though my reading tentacles spread to other genres, there is always a feeling—or a myriad of feelings—after finishing a book. Sometimes I am overwhelmed, swept off my feet, lost, raptured, crushed, broken, or excited after going on a journey that the author has mapped out in the story for me to follow. I dare say that some books have managed to encapsulate all these emotions in one story.

Why I Keep Reading—and Why You Should Too

The beauty of books cannot be overemphasised. Many have spoken about the numerous benefits of reading, such as improving vocabulary, becoming more empathetic, and enhancing concentration skills. All of these are true. For me, however, reading is more than all of these. Reading is having the rare opportunity of being transported into another world while still being rooted in your own. But this rare opportunity gives you countless other chances to reflect, question, re-evaluate, and learn. All of this, wrapped up in a book, feels like the perfect gift anyone can ask for.

Reading has carried me across different worlds and cultures. Through the lives of characters on distant continents, I’ve experienced every emotion imaginable—joy, grief, awe, heartbreak, wonder. Some books have left me wiser than I was when I picked them up. Others have torn me apart with the weight of tragedy—reminding me of how life can, without warning, bring sorrow to the doorstep of the unsuspecting.

This is why I am a strong advocate of reading. I feel like everyone should experience this too. I believe the world would be better if we had more people reading, because it would be easier for us to understand others and be more appreciative of different perspectives—and less judgmental.

If you’ve ever doubted whether reading is for you, I urge you to try again. Find that one book that speaks to your soul—and let it lead you on a journey you didn’t expect.

We need more readers in the world.