If you want to go places and meet different races of people but spending just a little, keep on READING.
Reading introduces new people, new ideas, and new events into life. (Health Home, May–June 1994).
During my high school days, I met an English philosopher who said, “Reading makes a full man.” Yes, it is Francis Bacon.
I have known a number of people who did not enter formal educational institutions but are wise and clever. They can share golden ideas about anything. They can do better than those who had formal training in the English Language. They can speak and comprehend better. In terms of issues and concerns on how we could perform well, become happy and productive, they can do as well as the professionals, thanks to the printed matter which made them better than what they were expected to be.
Becoming a full man is to become a well-rounded individual. Sir Richard Steele once said, “Reading is to the mind as exercise is to the body.” Reading makes the mind healthy, productive, and alert. Reading enhances thinking. It exercises our mental muscles. It refreshes our minds with new ideas and facts. Reading expands our horizon. Through it we could explore the universe and navigate down the deepest of the seas.
Reading helps us augment our stock of knowledge and in-formation from which we can withdraw when needed. According to Henry Van Dike, educator and writer, there are three types of readers:
1. Simple Reader – and ordinary book consumer who reads to pass the time. Most of the time, he does not a read for the second time.
2. Intelligent Reader – a particular reader whose main objective in reading is to gain more information. He desires to learn more about things and he loves books because of the benefits he gets from them.
3. Gentle Reader – the one who wants to grow and who turns to books as a means of broadening his sympathies and enhancing his life enjoyment. He reads to quench his thirst for pleasure which restores to heart, makes it stronger to endure the ills of life and optimistic to become cheerful, courageous, and lovable, because reading stimulates growing up instead of growing old.
Purposely reading is having clear objective while reading. The aim in reading determines how one must read. Sir Francis Bacon also said, “Read not to contradict or to confute, nor to believe and take for granted, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider. Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.” So, what are you waiting for? Let’s READ, READ, READ, READ! Let’s advocate together these DepEd Thrusts on
DEAR – Drop Everything Away and Read
ECARP – Every Child A Reader Program
RESSP – Read, Envy, Share a Story Program
ERAL – Every Reader A Leader
ARALL – A Reader A Life- Long Learner
By: Ms. Patricia B. Mojica | Teacher II | Sto. Domingo Elementary School
