7 Reasons Why Reading Is the Greatest Gift to Mankind

7 Reasons Why Reading is The Greatest Gift to Mankind

Image source: ctagsa.org

Once upon a time, a learned scholar was asked by the king to advise a group of 11 young men.
The scholar decided to give them his advice on the most important gift that they would give their
children. The scholar instead of naming the gift directly gave them a list of 7 qualities. He then
asked them to figure out a gift that had all the 7 qualities. He gave them a clue. He said it was an
invaluable habit. So what can that be?

I’ve made my guess. It has to be the reading habit. Let’s check it out.

1. Fascination
You know how excited a child becomes when she sees a toy. But the same toy may not interest
her after some time, right? Reading gives a pleasure that nothing else can match because it
fascinates every reader differently each time and without expiry.

2. Gateway
When I got a cycle for my 12th birthday I thought it was the best gift. I didn’t know why I felt
so. Now, when I look back and think it might have felt so because it was my gateway to other
things. The greatest gift to mankind needs to be the gateway to things beyond the horizon.
Reading skill perfectly meets this quality. It can be the gateway and serve the many ambitions
and aspirations of your child. Reading expands the world within.

3. Knowledge
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn the more
places you will go” – Dr Seuss”
When you go to a restaurant what would you check? You would ask for the menu, right. The
richer the menu, the higher goes your expectation.
Similarly, when you provide your kid with a rich reading menu you can expect great results too.
Reading skill can vastly impact the knowledge your child seeks. Anything from history,
literature, stories, science, fiction and non-fiction create a good appetite for worldly knowledge
and wisdom.

4. Critical Thinking
Why do you think reading is an important skill? Is it because most competitive exams like SAT,
CAT, GMAT, GRE, TOEFL, IELTS etc. have reading comprehension passages to test critical
thinking? Maybe or maybe not, but mostly yes.
A combination of role plays, point of view strategies, discussion after reading a book etc. will
help critical thinking prosper.

5. Power
You may think that the greatest gift must certainly provide some great power. Yes, it does. The
power of imagination accessed through reading is stupendous. Reading provides amazing
opportunities for experimentation, the advancement of intellect.
Reading skills not only gives power but also prepares the reader with wisdom to shoulder the
responsibilities and challenges that come with it. Reading skills have the potential to unleash the
power within your child.
6. Emotional Intelligence
EI figures in the list of top 10 criteria for employment released by Forbes. Looking through the
other pair of eyes, putting oneself into someone else’s shoes is what you would hear in a
workshop on creativity.
Emotionally intelligent people are considered to be very creative and brilliant. Reading makes it
possible for you to do it day in and day out without spending a penny.

7. Freedom
“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free” – Frederick Douglass”
Freedom is the greatest gift that a gift can ever give you because most of the gifts try to make
you a slave. Reading is the only habit that lets you free forever.

And that’s why I think that “Reading is The Greatest Gift to Mankind”.

Thanks for staying through and reading!

Please share your thoughts via email – vsramanan@gmail.com