THE JOY OF READING

Written by

Brij Sachdeva

Reading fuels curiosity and enhances our awareness, allowing us to acquire knowledge. Knowledge and awareness open the door to critical thinking and clarity which in turn sparks imagination and creativity ultimately leading to more informed decision-making and better outcomes. The more you read, the more knowledge you acquire. By gaining knowledge, you become educated. While there are many ways to acquire knowledge, reading is perhaps the most efficient method because it allows you to explore a subject as deeply as you desire.

Other activities, such as listening to music, watching movies or television, and engaging in conversations about new topics, also contribute to our education. For instance, when you listen to a song, you can learn something new and gain knowledge from it. However, if you encounter an unfamiliar word in the song, you must search for that word and read about it to understand its meaning. In the process of searching for that word, you may come across additional words or ideas that inspire you to read even more. Thus, reading enables you to delve deeply into any subject.

The more you read, 

the more you know. 

The more you know,

the more you realise 

how much you don’t know. 

This realisation is the beginning of 

true critical thinking.

While many people read to gather facts and information, the true essence of reading lies in experiencing something much richer and profound: enhancement of perception and the expansion of perspective. Reading expands our perspective beyond the limitations of a simplistic black-and -white view to a more nuanced understanding represented by spectrum of greys.

The more you expose your mind to new concepts and ideas, the more you see the gaps in your own knowledge. These gaps of ignorance are not signs of weakness or failure. This is not a setback. This is growth. This is progress, because realising you don’t know everything is the foundation of true critical thinking.

So we should not read just to know more, but to understand better and seek clarity.