Where would I be if I didn't learn how to read? I surely wouldn't be the person I am today without it.

When I was younger, particularly during my preteen years, I found comfort in reading. I found myself at peace reading when I was sad, bored, or curious, amongst other emotions.

When I thought my life was falling apart, or when I needed a change of pace, reading was my safe place. It still it today. I have other hobbies now, but reading was my first one.

Turning the pages of a book can turn your mood around. Letting words spill off of a page and into your fingertips is theraputic. Finishing a chapter and starting a new one is exhilarating.

Growing older may mean making less time for reading in order to focus on school, work, and social obligations. While this is normal, here are a couple of benefits of reading that you should keep in mind before giving it up altogether.

1. Reading is an escape from everyday life

Reading keeps us grounded. Is it in our nature to be selfish. We are constantly thinking about our lives, and even our smallest problems seem to always be a big deal. We all at some point have cared too much, whether it is in regards to how we look, how we act, and how others treat us. Reading can offer an escape into a different world. When you read about someone else's life instead of yours, it can become easier to forget about your own problems for a while. This mental break from reality can not only reduce stress, but it can keep you grounded. Sometimes you need a well-written story to remind you that you are not indeed the center of the Universe, and that even your biggest problems will soon pass.

2. Reading promotes creativity

Far too often, I wonder if I would have ever grown to love writing if it were not for the amount that I read as a child. While books can inspire others to read, they can also motivate audiences to write themselves or to explore other forms of art. Many of my peers who read were subsequently introduced to drawing, painting, sculpting, spoken-word, and theatre, amongst other forms of art. While reading may seem like just another hobby, it is in actuality a creative outlet that has helped talented individuals find their artistic calling.

3. Books can give us the advice we need

I remember my constant desire to reread my favorite chapters of a book when I was faced with a problem. The advice characters gave to each other, or themselves, was suddenly advice that I was taking too. Books offer a fresh perspective that we may need when we are faced with personal dilemmas. Some of the best advice I have received has been from the pages of a book. There is comfort in receiving advice you didn't know you needed until you stumbled across it. Perhaps the words you read across a page can be the ones that knock the most sense into you.

While reading may not be everyone's favorite hobby, it does have its perks. Through pages and pages of a book, readers are able to discover more not only about a story but about themselves. Although everyone is entitled to their own opinions, I strongly believe that picking up a book every once in a while can do more good than harm.