Why I Read

There are many reasons to read. Many wonderful reasons. To have fun, to escape, stress-relief. To learn. To sharpen the mind. To realize you are not alone.

Why do I read? All of the above actually. Different books serve different purposes. I read mainly to escape the stress of living with chronic pain. I don't know what a minute without pain is like, because I was born this way thanks to VACteRL Association. And miscellaneous crap. And as I get older it gets worse. It's stressful and it sucks. Reading provides a bit of an escape. And of course the world at large is stressful as well.

The other main reason I read is to learn I am not alone. I grew up having Dr's look at me like i'm a freak of nature because they had never heard of my medical issues. I still get that. And i've never met another person with my medical issues (though now thanks to the internet I can talk to others with the same medical issues-and it's wonderful. But I didn't have even that growing up).

I felt like I was the only one in the world like me, that's how I was treated and no one around me understood. No one around me understands to this day, but I am very grateful to the internet to talk to others who do understand and to realize I am most definitely not alone.

That and realizing i'm queer at 13. I thought that was wrong. Sinful. And didn't see any media representing me, at all. Now I do. And again, can talk to many lgbtq+ people online and see I am not alone.

I can also see I am not alone through books. People write the books. And I see myself in so many characters in so many little ways that mean so much and aren't so little after all. I also get to see viewpoints and experiences that are not my own, and that is beautiful as well.

I can also have fun adventures, fall in love with characters and their stories. Go places and do things I can't in real life, either because of my medical issues keeping me pretty home-bound or because they are fantastical things that don't actually exist. I mean I do have complete aphantasia (when awake) so the experience might not be quite as immersive for me as it for others but I can still enjoy it and love to read.

I also enjoy learning. I want to learn about animals, nature, spiritual beliefs, queer theory, disability studies, and experiences that are not my own. Among other random things. A good non-fiction book about something you are passionate about can be a wonderful joy to read as well.

Because of my medical issues and needing help to survive I am terrified of being alone one day or having people need to care for me and being unable to tell them what I need. I need to be able to communicate. Reading can help keep the mind sharp. Having my mind go from age, if I live that long or if it goes young, can mean a painful death for me. Sure I can't do much about it but reading may help, and it's fun so why not try it? There isn't much else I can do.

Those are some reasons why I read. Why do you read? Comment down below!

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