Post #1: Why I Read

I read because to me, reading is a form of entertainment. It's like watching T.V. except sometimes better because you can create your own images for the characters and the setting. Like it is for so many people, reading provides an escape for me. When I'm really into a book, I'm not thinking about other things going on around me and for as long as I'm reading I can forget about anything that's bothering me or stressing me out. I read so that I can have someone to relate to, even if it is just a character who's going through the same things as I am. I enjoy getting so emotionally invested in books and characters that in some way they become real to me. I think about the characters throughout my day even when I'm not reading. I enjoy reading when I can feel like I'm experiencing something or traveling somewhere that, in real life, I would not have the opportunity. It's like being able to experience the world without leaving your house. I also read so that I can discuss books with other people who have read them. When you read the same book as someone else, it's like you both went through the same experience and it's exciting to be able to talk about it. Overall I read because it's something I enjoy and something that makes me happy.