In fact, I tell you they are life-changing. Both of them. I'm not talking about learning how to read and write, which is obviously necessary for reasons I care not to delve into. I'm talking about profound impact. They may have changed your life already and they could impact someone eases life and YOU could be the change wielder.
I'll start with reading.
Reading is The Escape. Escape from what? Well, that depends. What do you need to escape from? A crappy job? An annoying sibling? A bad day at school? A bad home life? Abuse? 'Friends' who keep trying to talk you into doing drugs? The death of someone close? Life in general?
Everybody needs an escape. Everybody. Some need it more urgently than others but we all need it. If you're reading this, you most likely have found The Escape that resides between the covers of a good book. They take you away. They shut off the world around you. They silence the voices that tell you you're not good enough or pretty enough or smart enough. You enter a place of blissful quiet. A new world with new surroundings, new people, new challenges. You get to be someone else -to share an adventure, a romance, a mystery or maybe even something so terrifying, it will keep you up at night. But even the terror is better than that place from which you've escaped. You can be inspired, awed, amazed, excited and....educated???
NOOOOOOOOO! Don't ruin The Escape with education! It's true. While you're off in the arena with Katness, your brain is working, learning, becoming a faster, better, more perceptive machine. Sometimes, that perception is strong enough to bring something back from The Escape and apply it to your life in the real world. Imagine...being able to reach into a book and pull something out from you're favorite stories (if your envisioning grabbing Edward Cullen by his hair and yanking him through the pages of Twilight, please stop). It's true! You're constantly picking up things -most often subconsciously, that you will use in your real life.
So, not only are you provided with a refuge from whatever it is you need shelter from, but when you return to our world, you return better armed to deal with the challenges all around you.
Now, if you're brave enough, you will share this gift, The Escape, with others -especially those who really need it. Don't worry, they're easy to spot. Over-stressed, anxious, withdrawn, temperamental, rebellious, mean spirited -generally those people you don't want to come into contact with are the same people who need The Escape the most. I challenge you to find one, just one of these people and show them 'the doorway' (a book that will pique their interest). That may be all you can do -that also may be all it takes.
