Life Change By Reading

I recently started a book on the brutal massacre of millions of Africans from the area known as the "Congo Free State" under the leadership of King Leopold the II from Belgium. It is something I sadly know little about. My hope is to not only learn more about it but also like all historical learning to apply its learning to my own personal life. In other words, I hope my life is changed by what I read.

Life change by reading. I was having a text conversation with an old friend the other day and he was teasing me about my constant reading of history books. I am guilty as charged as the majority of books I read are generally historical & non-fiction in make-up. Why? There are a few reasons. One, I love to learn about history. I think true history is fare more exciting and interesting than fiction. It actually happened! Two, I think there is much to be learned from history. What we fail to grasp, learn, and improve upon sets up tragic potential for as of yet untold future. And finally, I read history books because they give me the facts, stories, and colorful additions to my ability to teach students. History is so much more than numbers & names. It is the very foundation human civilization is built upon - both good & bad. My goal is to help students understand that and have fun while learning.

So that is why I read what I read. Of course, everyone is different and everyone has their own set of likes, ideas, and tastes. With that in mind - my challenge would be for everyone to simply read more. Find out what interests you and spurs you on to better thinking, more creativity, and passion and then read, read, read.