Why I Read: Stern Center Communications Coordinator, Allison Provost

By Allison Provost

                                                                                                                                                    Photo by Paodoruvel

            Reading for me has always been about self development and exploration. As I’ve matured, my library has matured with me and has reflected my evolving interests. Throughout my life, books and their characters have acted as constant companions and are as beloved and influential as the friends and family members whom I cherish. I can easily say that some of the individuals I respect the most, fictional or not, I have met purely on the pages of a well written book: Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games series, Pat Summit after reading her biography entitled Sum It Up, Sherlock Holmes in any Sir Arthur Conan Doyle story, and Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird just to name a few.

I believe that as long as we are attentive and thoughtful enough to take advantage of them, opportunities exist all around us that help us learn more about ourselves. As Glinda the Good Witch sang in the musical Wicked, “I've heard it said, that people come into our lives for a reason, bringing something we must learn, and we are led, to those who help us most to grow, if we let them.” The same goes for books; they are meant to teach us. However, they are not just intended to teach us about the vastness of the universe, the creatures that lie beneath the ocean’s surface, or which general did that thing, on that battlefield, that one time, in 1779 in Georgia. Books are meant to teach us about ourselves, and I find great reward in that.

            In my early years, I read a lot of fables. Reading a story with a moral lesson (not to mention adorable animals that could talk) always interested me and helped me shape my set of beliefs as a child. To this day, The Boy Who Cried Wolf still comes to mind when I think about how dangerous lying can be.

As I grew up, I increasingly noticed myself finding value in certain character traits and challenging myself to identify my stances on certain issues. I try to use stories as a way to improve my critical thinking skills, exercise empathy, and discover what character traits I value in others, as well as what traits I strive to exhibit myself. Therefore, I find that many of the characteristics I identify as important to me in a book character tend to align with the characteristics of people I wish to befriend. In addition, I observe certain unfavorable character traits in a book that I may see in myself, reflect on them, and work on remedying the situation. Often when reading a book, I find myself wondering, “What would I do in this scenario? Would I do what the protagonist did or would I change the storyline?” I do everything I can to make every story, even an unrealistic fictional story, applicable to my life and my personal growth.

As easy as it is to become complacent with a book and read it purely for its entertainment purposes, which is fine to do sometimes, I would also challenge readers to take the time to find personal value in the message. Even that lighthearted, silly story about a girl and her dog offers an opportunity to learn something about oneself. Every time you turn the page you get a little closer to understanding your own mental memoir. So have fun, keep reading, and keep growing! 

Allison Provost is the Communications Coordinator at the Stern Center. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Communication & Social Interaction from Oswego State University in New York. She lives in Ferrisburgh and enjoys hiking, kayaking, and snowboarding.