Juhye Jung
Department of International Office Administration
Do you read books? These days I’m thinking a lot about the importance of books in our life.
Living in this era means you need to work hard, and study hard with strong efficiency. You might encounter difficulties with the noise and light pollution of the busy city. Books, however, are calm and peaceful, and it gives you a break. When we read, we often become engrossed in the story or information presented, allowing us to temporarily get away from our own problems and concerns. Also, “reading has been shown to put our brains into a pleasurable trance-like state, similar to meditation, and it brings the same health benefits of deep relaxation and inner calm.” In addition, if you read a paper book, it does not cause eye strain or other physical discomfort associated with staring at a screen for extended periods. You can get away from the light pollution of the city and phone, or laptop screen strain. Imagine you are in a cozy and calm library, or your own room filled with books’ smell (which is really good, isn't it?). You’re going to want to read a book right away!
As a Library and Information double major student who is working at a library now, I encounter and read quite a lot of books, and I know that this is not the only reason you should read a book.
Last week, I read a book, “The Body” by Bill Bryson which has its subtitle of ‘A Guide for occupants.’ I learned a lot of interesting information from this book. For example, if you work out regularly, your bones as well as your muscles, get stronger, or scientists have yet to reach a consensus on why we yawn, but there is plausible popular hypothesis which help us to guess the reason for yawning. This week, I’m reading an essay book written by a warm-hearted Korean author, wan- suh Park. This book makes me think a lot about myself and want to be a better person.
So now, after reading these books, I became a person who works out with more specific motivation. Also, I think about the interesting theories behind yawning, not just yawning and thinking “Am I tired?” I, also, became a person who changed my own attitude towards life, people, and the world in a good way to be a better person.
Books allow you to learn new information from different fields of interest and creative pursuits in life. Fantasy lets you explore new worlds and ideas that are not bound by the laws of our own reality. Poetry offers you an opportunity to engage with the language in a unique and artistic way. Science books offer practical applications that can improve our daily lives and help us solve complex problems. Self-improvement books can inspire and motivate you to make positive changes in our lives. And you’ll get to know that there are even more and more advantages to reading. In other words, books provide you with a different perspective or worldview that can help us to understand and appreciate the diversity of the world around us.
The poet Muriel Rukeysser once wrote, “The universe is made of stories, not of atoms.” in her book <The Speed of Darkness>, 1968. Of course, the universe is made of atoms, but while atoms and other scientific concepts are important for understanding the physical world, books and stories help us make sense of our experiences and give meaning to our lives.
So, why don’t you re-start reading not only because of knowledge but also for your life and peace? Be a companion to books. Books are always there for us!