Books, more specifically reading, are part of most people's everyday lives. We read the words on billboards, the labels on candy wrappers, articles that friends share on Facebook. It becomes ingrained in our minds to the point where we do it without even knowing sometimes. It is a way we communicate with one another and a way to read stories that can affect our lives in different ways. This is why I hope that, in the future, my child will read and love books just as much as I do.
When I was a kid, I really didn't like reading. At all, actually. I thought it was a complete chore. I hated when my class would go to the library to pick out books to read "for fun". I dreaded reading for homework and having reading quizzes the next day. It was something I never thought I would enjoy. That was until one middle school English teacher made my class read so many books that I thought I would go insane. At the time, I resented her for it. No other classes in my grade were having to read this many books. Why me?
Without knowing it, I began to not only enjoy the readings that were assigned to me, but I began to read for fun on my own, outside of school. And by high school, I was that girl that had a book in her hand as soon as I had a few minutes to spare. I couldn't wait to finish a book and explore countless more. Being able to read new books and lean new things is one of the many reasons I love being an English major. The books I read in the past help shape me into the person I am now, and I love how they can bring people together through shared interests and lively discussions. But could this all be lost in the future?
Yes, we are in the age of technology. We see more people staring at screens than into another person's eyes or up at the sky. If this is how we function now, will books become a thing of the past? Sure, we should worry about ourselves now. I think about how I could be reading instead of scrolling through Instagram all the time. I'm sure many people do. However, I'm more worried about future generations and what world my future child will live in.
I don't want my child to be glued to a screen, playing games and watching videos. While, like many things, this can be fine in moderation, it shouldn't be the thing they latch onto. I want my child to read the classic stories that I read as a child, while having the chance to explore and fall in love with new ones. I want them to grow up and be proud of their massive collection of books, just like me. It's hard to say for certain if this will can be reality, not just for my future child but for all children. But I hope it's the case. Because a world without books is definitely not a good one.
