Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. The most nourishing food for the mind is contained in books. These are mines of art, literature, science, psychology, philosophy, and religion. They instruct us in times of need, they thrill us when we are dull, they cheer us when we feel sad and solitary. They indeed are our never-failing friends. The so-called friends may deceive you, but books never will. Really, books keep us so occupied as to make us oblivious to even our own selves. That is why a library is one of the most peaceful places in the world – the serenity all around comes from everyone being absorbed in their own world of books.
We identify ourselves with the characters we come across in books. We grieve in their sorrow and we rejoice in their happiness. A book can bring a new charm in life. Reading can also put before us great ideals and lofty aspirations. They can show us the way and teach us by example. Books are friends of all – rich or poor, high or low. They are always at our beck and call. We may read them for hours together but they will never get fed up with us. We may take them anywhere with us. They will never question. It may be the scorching heat of summer or the chill of winter. We may be in desert, in a forest, or in an aeroplane.
Human beings generally do not come up to expectations. Hopes are dashed, trust is betrayed, and commitment is failed. But books always remain out friends, our guides, our philosophers. They are ever ready to oblige us. They contain the best experiences of life and the noblest thoughts of the mind. How lucky is that person who is fond of good books!
Books are the treasured wealth that generations and nations inherit. To get the best out of them, it is necessary that books be carefully chosen. Reading makes the full man but to be that man, the best books must be read. We should read books which have not been cast aside by the passage of time. Such books are truly the wisest counsellors.
As far as possible, our efforts should be to read well-known and famous literature. By falling into the habit of reading cheap and inferior books, reading can become a curse as well. It will poison the stream of thoughts and turn even the innocent to the path of the devil. It is only by reading great books that we gain wisdom as well as pleasure. It requires, though, a disciplining of the mind. But once this discipline is developed, there is no limit to the satisfaction and pleasure which we can derive from reading.
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Mohammad Hussain Khan