Hello, my name is Ethan Hoppe-Cruz, and I have the honor of writing a regular column in the Ka Leo `O Nanakuli newspaper. In my columns, I will be writing to discuss my opinions on certain issues and thoughts about life.

The topic of this column is about an activity I love and why more people don’t love it

Reading is a skill and a necessity for life. The lack of reading often leads to poor education and other issues resulting in low pay, poverty, and more.

Has anyone ever been up past 1 am reading a book that you couldn’t put down? I have, and I do not regret it.

The time is 9 pm. My parents have fallen asleep. I slowly creep towards the nearest light in the living room.

The book I was silently diving into was a 13 book series by Cressida Cowell entitled “How To Train Your Dragon.” This series had started before the creation of the movies and has the same basic names but not necessarily the same plot.

I could continue, but I find that more than 30 minutes of talking about fan theories and how you should always read the book first has bored more than a majority of the people I talk to.

The crickets chirped, and the roar of dragons sounded in my ears. This was the 9th book in the series called “How to Steal A Dragon’s Sword” and time creeps past quickly when you’re having fun.

Midnight and no parents nor siblings stir. At 1:00 am, I was seven-eighths of the book done when my Mom got up.

Parents out there will understand and know when you are awoken by your pre-teen’s obsession with a fictitious book series about dragons that you may be a bit disgruntled by this fact.

I know my mom sure was. I was told to go to bed and not wake up, and she was sure to check my bed for books hidden in the blankets and other places where they would be.

There are many benefits to reading and making 30 minutes reading a habit.

When reading, it is key for you to understand what the characters in the book are feeling; you, therefore, create empathy and understand complex emotions.

Reading is also beneficial to stress and depression. In recent studies, reading has helped reduce stress by 68%, but not only that, the elderly mental decline is decreased by 32%.

Poor education is a serious issue in our community. When people dislike and disregard reading as an important part in an education they gradually achieve less good grades and move into a state of denial of their lack of information and then decide not to try. That lack of effort then results in poorer wages and causes many issues and struggles to get into college.

I write this because I believe in books and their powerful influence on our future and the generations after that. I am actually writing this article with “The Fellowship of The Ring” in arms distance.

More often than not, we are caught not reading but on our electronic devices. Although social media is a good way to meet people, you will never get the same experience as talking in person to another human being.

If you are ever in a doctor’s office and you look at the guidelines to a healthy lifestyle you will notice that you should be limited to two hours of television or other electronic distractions other than homework (I am sorry for those of you who binge watch Netflix).

In our living quarters, we have no television. I believe this has a positive influence on our health and overall well being. There are fewer distractions and more time to read and expose ourselves to more experiences.

I can understand other sides of this argument.

“There is no time to read” is an often used excuse, yet I find this to be an illegitimate argument.

Studies prove that after about sixty days any practice or hobby will turn into an actual habit.

Reading does not have to be 30 minutes each day. 15 minutes is a good starting time for beginning readers; generally, within 60 days it will turn into a habit.

That way you will be able to read 15 minutes a day and not need to remind yourself to read and slowly overtime, you will begin to read more, and with that, you will begin to read 30 minutes each day and then 60 minutes each day.

Another common retort is “What is your position on E-books and if books are so great and electronics are so awful?”

E-books are used as a resource, and also there is less waste of paper with the E-books, and so I am for E-books, as long as they are used for their purpose of reading.

Some may call this article old fashion, some may agree with this reading idealism but I stand my ground on this issue, and it is my personal belief and proven fact that books are beneficial and will bestow upon basically everybody the best possible education.