My name is Adam Al-ibraheem and I believe in reading.
I believe that reading is the key to learning whatever one wants or needs in order to achieve almost any goal one sets for him or herself.
When I was younger, my father came to visit me from Kuwait during the summer between my sophomore and junior years in high school. My father would call me in the morning and request that I pick him up from a bookstore around the Dayton mall area. Usually later on in the afternoon, I would show up at Barnes and Noble or Borders, in order to meet up with him for the day.
I would always find my father in the café drinking hot tea with a stack of books he had found within the store. Meeting him like this went on for a few days until finally I asked him: “Why are you always at the bookstore? That’s so boring, why don’t you go to the mall or see a movie?”
My father responded “Oh my son Adam, I love to read; I read all the time. Did you know I have my own personal library that has the biggest selection of books in Kuwait?”
I told him that I did not believe him; he then asked me what I was interested in.
I told him that I wished I wasn’t so shy, and that I was more outgoing and able to talk with anyone effortlessly.
My father laughed and then said, “My son, the bookstore offers all kinds of different books from physics to psychology, to astrology and such. Did you know that there is an entire section of books on how to communicate more effectively?”
I was shocked and told him that I was unaware of this.
My father then said: “A bookstore has all kinds of different books to choose from and you can learn all kinds of different things. I know of a good book that I believe may help you to become a better communicator, I believe it is called ‘How to Win Friends and Influence’ or something like that…let us go and see if they have it.”
The book my father was talking about was actually Dale Carnegie’s, “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”
I began to read that book and devoured it in one night. I think I read the entire book three more times within one week.
My father left a few weeks later, but left me with one of the most valuable lessons: the joy of reading. Because of that small event 10 years ago, you can now find me at the local bookstore with a large stack of books as well.
Since I learned about the joy of reading, I have utilized the knowledge I acquired from books, I am no longer shy and can communicate to strangers in a relaxed manner. I, too, also have a large collection of books in my house — just as my father said he did. I will never forget that experience he shared with me 10 years ago.
My name is Adam Al-ibraheem and I believe in reading.
Students are welcome to submit their own “This I believe” writing pieces.
The Clarion is open to other student-written opinion pieces that may have been written for a class.
If interested, submit your piece to clarion@sinclair.edu.
If submitted, we reserve the right to edit the writing piece before it is published. Students should also keep in mind that submission does not guarantee publication.