An inspirational talk about reading

The moment I spotted the announcement on Facebook about Mr. Rai Mitsu’s talk in Pui Ching Middle School, I left a comment requesting the opportunity to attend it. I was curious about his path to success as a novelist and columnist. Besides, I would like to learn from him how reading could be nurtured among school children.

Mr. Rai’s talk was more than the mere promotion of reading. It was a sharing of his life experience and his long-term dedication to reading. Referring in turn to the books that had accompanied him through his teenage years, he explained how literary works had been his source of satisfaction as well as the guide towards his life goals. He first got fascinated with books in primary school as they were available free of charge from the library. Reading had also helped him through setbacks and frustrations in his secondary school life.

Besides, he considers reading a useful source of information as books provide a boundless sea of knowledge and skills. Reading for the sake of learning something interesting can make one a happier person. Moreover, through reading, we can learn to dig out questions, while, on the other hand, reading can also help us seek answers to the questions. In addition, as reading enables us to understand more about people and about life, people who read extensively can get along with one another more easily and can better accommodate human imperfections. 

His list of books included a few comics, a bit surprising to me at first, though. But I was convinced that it is usually the fun of reading that keeps the reader glued to the book.  Mr. Rai has actually got inspired by a few comics and even his pen name is related to a character in one of them.

He encouraged the students to do extensive reading. According to him, one must read ten books to be able to write one. To win someone in love, one must first be a love worthy person himself. There are indeed endless life lessons to be acquired from books. He concluded that though we may not gain much from reading, we will definitely suffer great losses if we do not read.

I just can’t wait to share about Mr. Rai’s talk, which was inspirational and philosophically appealing, with my grand niece and nephews. I hope I can convince them of the attractions of books while they are still in their teens. I will also get back to my own reading as soon as possible.