Top 10 Reasons Why I Love Reading

By: Adrian Pantonial 

My passion for reading books began when my father died in 1997. That was the time when I was plagued with so many questions about life. Because I am the eldest among five siblings, I felt responsible for them and was forced to find the answers to these questions–so I turned to books to quench my thirst for wisdom.

I vividly remember the first ever book on sale I bought from National Bookstore’s Superbranch, Cubao was titled “Life Preservers” by Harriet Learner Ph D– which few years down the road–I gave to my Aunt Liza while we’re having our Conversational English Tutorial lessons.

That book started my insatiable passion for reading self-help books. There was even a time when I tried to stay away from National Bookstore and Book Sale shops because, even if I don’t have enough money, I was tempted not to leave those places without buying a book or two. And as my personal evolution sweep through time and space, my literary tastes diversified as well.

Here are the top 10 reasons why I love reading [in no particular order of importance]:

1.) Personal and Professional Growth - Reading helps me grow as a person, expanding my views about life, affecting my every personal and professional decisions.

2.) Leadership Booster - I believe that great leaders are great readers.

3.) Busts Boredom – It sets me free from boredom.

4.) Enhances Communication Skills – Widens my expertise as a wordsmith, which I use in writing business correspondence in the office and church, online blogging and in writing encouraging notes to family and friends.

5.) Tool for Success - One of my lifetime goals is to be able to write my own best-selling book/s someday.

6.) Learning from the Best - Through reading, I get to mingle and pick the brains of people whom I may never meet in person like my favorite authors namely: Charles Swindoll, John Maxwell, Max Lucado, Philip Yancey, John Eldredge and locally: Ed Lapiz, Bo Sanchez etc.

7.) Virtual Travelling – Reading allows me to travel to places I have never been to and makes me experience, at least in virtuality, situations that I may either desire or loathe—where in both cases, I can gain invaluable learnings.

8.) Counselling Aid – Through this helpful and healthy habit, I’m empowered to give better advice to people, especially when I don’t have personal experience about what they’re seeking counsel for.

9.) Brain Enhancer – Our mind is the central processing unit of our body, the genesis of all our hopes and dreams which we should invest on. Unlike rubber, our brain, once stretched, may never be reduced to its original size.

10.) Keeps Me Fully Awake and Alive – Being a bibliophile is the only positive addiction I know so far which keeps my faith, hope and love alive.

If the late Winston Churchill said, “Never, never, never quit!” I say, “Never, never, never stop learning!”