The Transformative Power of Reading

The idea came to mind of capturing, through writing, what the reading activity produces within the lives of human beings, who are until now the only living beings that have this natural capacity; putting aside man-made administrators to replace him in this task such as: code readers, fingerprint and face readers, etc.

There are those who believe that reading: creates a greater vocabulary; builds speaking skills; They link man with his environment and improve his understanding of it; helps capture first-hand knowledge; helps improve reading language and memory; creates better humanistic bonds and social empathy with our fellow human beings. There are those who claim that reading beneficially transforms the structure of the brain, that is, it generates relevant organic changes in the conformation of the gray matter; The French scientist Jean Baptiste de Lamarck already said that organs are acquired or lost as a consequence of use or disuse.

In relation to its connection with oral or written expression, I have to say that the experience that I have had to live and observe first-hand, says that: indeed, those who have read the most can face the challenges that come with both oral and public presentations, as well as the best-finished writing of texts of texts. different types and genres. From the above I can say that every time I see on social networks the promotion of courses to teach creative writing, leaving an understanding as a promise that they will teach the contestants to write the genre of novel, short story, essay and who knows how many other things. He left them as a comment: "it is useless, whoever has never read in his life, he cannot and will not be able to write." I don't know if this lapidary sentence doesn't sit well with them or not; but it is what my reality and experience dictate to me.

Regarding the vigorous development of spoken language, I recently had to closely experience the episode experienced by a good friend, who today has been reading the genre of novels for about a year, and more specifically romantic ones. This reader told me that her son and then a niece, separately, upon seeing her leaving a voice note on her mobile phone, expressed their astonishment by saying: Aha, but if you speak differently, like with more propriety and confidence ! Then, on one occasion, I saw the same person leaving a voice note and the difference was how slowly she spoke, and the search for the most appropriate term for what she wanted to mean.

So, in conclusion, I can affirm: that is why I have no doubts about the transformative power of reading.

Author: Miguel Ángel Moreno Villarroel