Do you know what today is? Here’s a hint, look up. No, not at the ceiling, silly! I mean look up at the title of this blog post. Sheesh! Yes, that’s right. It’s International Literacy Day. If you are here and reading the words on the screen then you are one of the lucky ones. Think about it. How great is it to be able to read? Without knowing how to read, “ice cream” would look like “hdsakh8 xasd.” Yuck! I know it’s supposed to be delicious, but I wouldn’t want to eat it!
How many times a day do you read? Put aside your novels and your textbooks (apologies teachers) for a moment. Look around you. What do you see? I would be willing to bet that right there within the comfort of your own area, you can find many words. Everywhere you go, there are words.
Throughout virtually every aspect of daily life, there is reading. You don’t have to be a bibliophile to understand the importance of the written word. All you have to do is walk down your street (Speed Limit 35 mph), open your refrigerator (Log Cabin syrup), take a shower (Pert Plus), open your eyes. We live in a literate world where words rule. Just imagine what it would be like to be unable to understand. You didn’t once. Once upon a time, none of us knew how. But somewhere along the way, we learned to read. But there are many people in the world who cannot. Be thankful for the words in your life. Now, go and read something.
“Literacy is at the heart of basic education for all, and essential for eradicating poverty, reducing child mortality, curbing population growth, achieving gender equality and ensuring sustainable development, peace and democracy.”
