The transition from childhood to the status of adult is one
filled with change. Lessons learned become knowledge which you can draw upon. The
values your parents held influence the morals ingrained within yourself.
Actions from your past influence how you view the world and you choose to
interact with it. Everything becomes more concrete and definitive, as habits
make life more routine. But for every child who had the privilege of access to
books, another trait is imbued within them; Hope. With literature, fiction in
particular as noted by Annie Paul in her article “Your Brain on Fiction”, the
avid reader is more likely to be able to exercise their real-life social skills
through the processes taking place within the brain while reading. This allows
for readers to be more likely to understand different views and perspectives
without bias or contempt. What Paul does not mention, is how reading allows for
hope. Hope for a better tomorrow; Hope, that one day you will achieve your
dreams; Hope, that your life will have meaning. Hope is not cockiness or
overconfidence, but the belief that there is a reason for optimism. This is a trait
that should be afforded to all who have felt the depths of despair. Fortunately,
hope can be given to all who seek it, just as simply as opening a book.
