“Do the dishes and stop wasting your time reading.”
These words, uttered only once by my late mother when I was a teenager, have stayed with me over the years.
I wondered why she would say this and not encourage me to keep reading. I wanted to know why she would not thank me for reading, knowing I was not doing drugs or having sex.
Heck, why not ask me what I was reading? Why tell a child to stop reading?
I immediately started washing the dishes, even though they were not one of my chores. I felt deflated, though. Even as a child, I knew that reading was a good thing, and as a parent, Mom should have encouraged it.
Mom might have been frustrated that day, but I have never forgotten what she said, because I remembered how hard it was for me to learn to read, much less develop a love for it.
In grade school, I could not read English. Hell, I couldn’t even speak the language! As an immigrant from Argentina, my first language was Spanish. My parents spoke only a few American English words: hello, thank you, and please. They tried but did not teach me much before I started school.
In first grade, I could only recognize a few English words. Understanding my teachers felt like torture. By the time I found myself in 2nd grade, I had fallen behind my classmates. As the only immigrant who didn’t speak English well, instead of deeming me stupid or flunking me, my teacher, Mrs. Kaufman, decided to teach me how to read after school. No one paid her to do this. No one demanded it. My parents did not beg her to help me. She just did it. She did it because she cared and was an exceptional human being.
I owe her my life.
By third grade, my reading improved. Still shy and awkward, though, I struggled with some of it. I will never forget writing a book review of Charlotte’s Web. I made up part of the story because I found reading the words hard. The teacher asked me about it. She said she didn’t remember Wilbur giving birth to any pigs in the story and wondered where I had read that. Embarrassed because I could not read well, I told her I could not remember. She was not pleased.
During my sixth-grade year, I finally learned to enjoy reading. One day, I stumbled upon Agatha Christie’s Postern of Fate, of all books. I LOVED the English prose, and the mystery kept me intrigued. From that day forward, reading became fun. I read more of Christie’s books, picked up other books to read, and did not mind reading for schoolwork.
And, the rest is history, they say. I did not deem myself illiterate anymore.
The Problem of Illiteracy
Illiteracy is a problem in the United States and worldwide. In the U.S., 45 million Americans are functionally illiterate and cannot read above a fifth-grade level. One out of four children is illiterate. This is tragic. Although the literacy rate outside of the United States is increasing, currently, 763 million people worldwide do not have basic literacy skills. These numbers are astounding.
The way to reduce these numbers is to promote literacy. There are many organizations like the World Literacy Foundation, which supports access to education for children globally. Room to Read is another example that builds children’s literacy and supports gender equality in education.
You have probably heard of Little Free Library, which promotes reading to everyone by placing free book exchange boxes in front yards and other places. Learn more about how you can help here, or find a little free library and grab a book to read. There are also countless book clubs worldwide that promote reading, including banned book clubs in the U.S.
All of these organizations and clubs exist because they believe in the power of reading, literacy, and education. But why is reading so important? Let’s explore why.
Why Read Every Day
#1-Reading Improves Creativity
Did you know that the most creative individuals have mastered how to focus? They have learned that to make art, write music, code, or construct a poem, focus is vital. The writer who spends one hour of focused time gets more done than the one who is scattered.
Reading forces you to focus, and focusing is essential to achieving creative endeavors. The more you read, the more you hone your focusing ability, and the more you improve your concentration.
When you read, you also learn consistently. You learn new perspectives and concepts that you might never have considered. All of this helps spur your creative mind and synapse connectivity; reading helps you see things from a new angle, which is very important to the creative process.
Very successful people like Bill Gates or Tony Robbins are prolific readers. Tony Robbins, especially, read profusely starting at a young age and never stopped. A Brazilian study demonstrated that children who read and are exposed to stories at a young age develop mental flexibility, imaginative visualization, and the ability to reinterpret narratives, which are key drivers of creativity. These children had a greater academic advantage than their peers who did not read.
Reading is good for all minds and is a catalyst for creative ideas.
#2-Reading Improves Writing
I am sure you are aware that reading improves writing, but you might be wondering how.
Inspires Original Ideas
Contrary to popular belief that reading other writers’ work will lead you to copy their stories, reading inspires original ideas. You might take the opening scene from a novel you are reading and get an idea of a new story just from that one scene. Or, you might be reading an argumentative essay on feminism and be inspired to tackle the subject in your next story.
Even if you are reading 19th-century literature, the text might inspire ideas from characters for a contemporary novel to ideas on Enlightenment-age politics. Reading spurs endless ideas, and reading what others write encourages you to practice writing differently.
Once your imagination is immersed in whatever type of text you are reading, your mind is ripe for fresh, new ideas to write about. A good plan is to keep a notebook nearby as you read, so you can jot down what comes to mind for future writing pieces. You will be amazed at how many ideas emerge with this technique!
Increases Vocabulary
Since reading also forces you to learn new words, it will help you write better. It is a fail-safe way to increase your vocabulary and knowledge.
Improves Thinking
Reading consistently helps you learn. It is the catalyst for thinking better because it improves critical thinking skills, attention span, and memory.
Improves Learning
The obvious has to be said: reading is learning. When we learn, we expand our minds, we exercise our brain muscle. Learning is the mechanism by which we stay young. Just like a muscle in the body, the brain is the same. It needs exercise. Studies show that reading every day can lessen your chance of suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia when older by reducing cognitive decline.
#3-Reading Improves Life in General
On top of expanding creativity and improving your writing, regular reading provides various health and wellness benefits.
Improves Sleep
Did you know that studies show reading before bedtime allows for a better night’s sleep? Who doesn’t need better sleep these days? Research suggests that reading at bedtime helps calm your mind so you are not focusing on the possible stresses of tomorrow. It reduces insomnia, and studies show that sleeping right after you learn something helps your memory retain information.
And the best reason to read before you sleep is to eliminate screen time from phones or electronic devices, which have been proven to negatively affect sleep cycles. So, turn off that phone and read a good book the old-fashioned way!
Reduces Stress
Getting lost in a good book allows your mind to rest from your problems or daily responsibilities. This escape is therapeutic and provides calm for your brain, taking you away from anxiety or worry. The obvious also needs to be mentioned here. Reading is pleasurable, and partaking in something that we enjoy reduces stress.
Lowers Blood Pressure
I had no idea that reading as little as six minutes a day – not a long time – can calm the body. When we are immersed in a book, our heart rates decrease, muscles become less tense, and blood pressure is reduced, according to research by Dr. David Lewis, University of Sussex, England. What great news for lovers of the word!
Fights Depression
In addition to lowering blood pressure, reading every day fights depression by combating isolation. When we cannot put down a book, especially a fiction novel, we relate and connect to the characters’ emotional journeys. This helps us feel less lonely.
Reading also reduces depression because it can be a form of therapy. Reading self-help books or memoirs, for example, gives us hope, inspiration, and provides coping strategies. I know I have been encouraged by various self-help books over the years.
Contributes to a Longer Life
How does reading contribute to a longer life, you might be asking? Keeping the brain active is vitally important, especially for older adults. Frequent reading is associated with a reduced risk of cognitive decline for older people. A 2016 Yale University study demonstrated that older adults who engage in the reading pastime live longer. And as mentioned earlier, reading regularly strengthens neural pathways, which improves critical thinking and memory.
Enhances Empathy
Reading all kinds of books, stories of other people’s lives, or poetry teaches us to empathize with others who come from different backgrounds and places. And empathy towards others goes a long way in creating better societies, doesn’t it?
“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time [to read], or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” – Confucius
In Summary
I’ve come a long way since my early grade school days when I could not read or write. I also now do the dishes after a meal, but I make more time to read every day. Reading enhances my creativity as a writer, explorer, gardener, woodworker, and crafter. It’s pleasurable, spurs my curiosity, forces me to think critically, and helps me analyze and put things into perspective.
Reading can do the same for you.
Reading helps us learn so much about how others live, how they think, or why they do what they do. We ponder the experiences of others in relation to ours after reading a memoir. We are encouraged and inspired to change the world for the better after reading a great book. The imagination that occurs during the reading of every text expands our minds. Synapses make new connections, spurring new ideas and learning.
So, start reading. Sometimes, the dishes can wait.
If you read this article, of course, you are a reader! I thank you for reading my words. If you know someone who is struggling to read every day, may I suggest some books to start? I write book reviews about fiction and nonfiction books I read on my Medium publication, Across the Page, and here on my website, vilmareynoso.com. Have a look!
Like any new habit, start small. Just read for 15 minutes per night. Soon, you will want to read more and more.
© Copyright Vilma G. Reynoso 2025
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