When I was growing up, I loved reading. For my eighteenth birthday I received beautifully bound editions of some of my favourite works. Books are amazing.

What has changed is the ‘why’ I read.

As a youngster I chose novels that comforted me and conformed to my worldview. As an adult I’ve chosen mostly non-fiction books that expand my worldview and urge me to think differently. Recent experience made clear that I still chose from a relatively narrow field, aligned with what I wanted to know and not what I needed to see.

Reading to challenge myself is more enriching than merely reading for comfort.

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(Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash)