Sqn Ldr (R) Wajid Ali
To Read Or Not To Read (that is the question?)
“Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.” – Jim Rohn
The world of imagination is far more soothing, pleasant and tempting than that of reality. That is the reason we want to escape from reality. In imagination we seek for the things we can’t have or experience. In a world full of worries, we have no time to stand and stare at the things which give us pleasure. We are just running after the materials which can’t buy us the real happiness. In such a mechanical life, we need to develop the hobbies which can entertain us for a long time.
Book is the best escapism one can ever experience. The words, phrases and sentences we read take us on their snowy feathers to a utopian land detached from the reality. The adventures we undergo through the experiences of the writers, the characters we fall in love with, the scenes we watch and see through their eyes, the words and the expressions they describe are precious and priceless.
I read somewhere, “A book is device to light imagination”. Reading actually is dreaming with open eyes. The Human-Book relationship is symbiotic in nature; both be each other. While the books get respect and promotion they deserve, the human beings receive love from the books in return. The books not only add to our knowledge, but these also take us to the unexplored worlds which the readers can only perceive. The perception of the readers is very important for igniting their imagination.
Unfortunately, technology has changed the priorities of readers, especially the young generation, tremendously. Parents, with gadgets in hands, complain that their children have given up the habit of reading. They do not realize that reading books in front of the children can change their interests too. Teachers, on the other hand, can play a great role in promoting the habit of book reading. Students should be involved in such activities that kindle their love for books over that for gadgets.
All we need is to infuse in our youth and adults alike the liking for reading. Pakistan is in an alarming state of aversion book to reading. The book reading can be promoted by building more and more libraries. Frequent visits can help mitigate the book avoidance. We must apprise the citizens that book-reading is the need of time and a means to reducing ignorance. Books are the best and the most loyal friends through thick and thin. These can and listen, tell and ask, soothe and comfort, and console and entertain.
“Show me the family of readers, and I will show you the people who move the world”. Napoleon
Sqn Ldr (R) Wajid Ali
Principal
Air Base Inter College Mushaf, Sargodha