A quote!
“Without books, God is silent, justice dormant, natural science at a stand, philosophy lame, letters dumb, and all things involved in darkness.” - Thomas Bartholin, 1672
It's an amazing quote, right?
In the 16th century Thomas Bartholin, a doctor, mathematician and theologian from Denmark ascertain the significance of books in our life. The purpose of his message is that without books or the revelation of God cannot be conveyed to the people, justice cannot be enforced, science and technology would be stagnated, literature would not be evolved, and all human activities would plagued by darkness. Of course, the book here is referred to the book which we read, study and analyze.
However, one thing that concerns us today is the lack of interest in reading and writing among adolescents (students). The teenager is currently lives in an era of globalization. They are the digital generation. Most of their time is spent with the "grasping" and "play" their smartphones. Mobile phone with all its features and facilities provide them a "new world" that is digital world. The "hustle and bustle" of the new world cause the books such like a foreign goods for them. Among the learners it seems close but as if very far away. Everyday they take them to the school but the smartphones have allure them not to read the books. We can see nowadays, even small children of 1-3 grade elementary school, proudly is carrying a large bag containing books, however, it seems remote because of their new book is open only when there is a command from their teacher to read.
When there is a task from the teacher to open the book, what their respond is, huh BT ah ...! BT is a vocabulary which is very common among the teenagers in my country. It is said that the word is an acronym Totally Bored or Bored Total) which is used as an expression of boredom. So, reading a book for children is a tedious activity. So, how our children would be smart if reading has become a scourge for them?
HABITUATION
For children, we need to familiarize them a reading. We need to make it as a habitual life. As a teacher, or for parents, it is advisable to exhort the to gain much knowledge from the book. I remember a legend neurosurgeon doctor from USA, DR. Ben Salomon Carson whom I greatly admired after watching him on youtube and reading his book GIFTED HAND. It is a wonderful story in humanity. I remembered the book, especially his witness of devoting his life to read two books every week and gave the reading report to his mom. In his earlier elementary school, Carson was the foolhardiest student in the class and became an object mockery among them. It is very hard for him to be with them.
Until one day, as his mother was seeing many books in the room of a professor and ask the prof is he read all the books. The professor answer yes. Since that time she ordered the small child to read at least two books. In the second year, he become the smartest student in his class and now become a famous neurosurgeon in the world. What a testimony of the power of reading. You are great Ben Carson!
