LOH CONTEST #234 BOOK VS MOVIES

Good morning my lovely 🌹 friends. How are you all doing today

No video can quite match the experience of
reading a book. For me, reading books is more than just a way to pass the time; it's an experience, a journey that awakens the imagination and calms the mind in ways that screens cannot. While a lot of people enjoy binge-watching shows or watching videos, I find that reading books draws me more deeply into the world. Over time, I've come to understand why that is.

First, as a student reading books allowed me to create my own mental world. The story takes place in my head rather than on a screen when I read. The characters don’t have actors’ faces, and the landscapes aren’t defined by someone else’s lens. I can choose how the hero moves, how the villain laughs, how the castle on the hill looks, and how the rain sounds at night. The freedom to imagine and add my own thoughts to the narrative makes the experience very personal and vivid. I feel like a writer and a reader at the same time, and the story becomes mine in a way that no video ever could.

Secondly, reading is an intimate and slow process, which is a blessing. Books ask you to slow down in a world where everything moves quickly videos are cut short to keep viewers' attention, and reels pass quickly. They demand patience. I sit with a story and learn about it page by page, and that pace is comforting. It allows me to take a deep breath, reflect, and appreciate the little things. Even reading in silence, which videos never offer, is peaceful. It's a mental and literal respite from the noise. Then there’s the connection I feel with the language itself. Books are built on words, and words have rhythm, texture, and weight. Good writing makes you feel things in your bones. The emotion is influenced by the sentence structure, paragraph flow, and word selection. Videos may show you the story, whereas books tell you the story in a way that directly touches your heart. Because they are moving or beautiful, I find myself reading lines again and again. I'm still affected by that kind of connection long after I close the book. The fact that I have more control over the experience is another reason why I prefer books. Videos take you on a ride with a fixed pacing you don't stop until you hit stop.

On the other hand, I am able to read a book at my own pace. I can skip over tense scenes or stay with one. To satisfy my curiosity, I can jump ahead or return to a favorite section. I am able to read in the middle of the night under a lamp, in the afternoon under a tree, or on a bus while focusing on something else while ignoring the noise. That kind of flexibility is priceless.

Lastly, reading does not feel like a lonely activity. It's intimate but strangely communal. I may read by myself, but I never feel lonely. I feel like I'm a part of something much bigger as the author speaks to me through the characters' words and keeps me company. In addition, there is an unspoken bond when I meet someone who has also read the book. We've both traveled the same path and seen the same parts of the world, and that shared experience unexpectedly brings people together. So yes, while I understand the appeal of videos—the instant gratification, the visuals, the ease—it’s books that truly speak to me.

They demand more from me, but in return, they provide me with more. For me, reading is more than just a pastime; it is also a place where I find joy, peace, depth, and sometimes even a piece of myself.
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