TTT: Reasons I'm Thankful for Books

I've been around the blogosphere for almost 6 months now (6 month blogiversary next month!!!) and I have absolutely loved seeing everyone's Top Ten lists when they come out, so I've decided to also give it a try! It probably won't be a weekly feature for me but I'm hoping to participate when I can. I'm linking up with The Broke and The Bookish for their Top Ten Tuesday Prompt : Thanksgiving Freebie

Look up a few lists of books that changed the world - there's plenty of them! Words are so powerful and when many powerful words are put into one book - they can change how the entire world thinks. #BannedBooks are even a thing - books that so powerful that people have found them threatening or dangerous. Words and ideas change the world.

Books can challenge the way we think about things, even the way we look at the world. I'm not just talking about spiritual books that challenge your mind, but even the most basic of books can teach us something or make us see something from a different point of view. Every time we pick up a book we are choosing to look at the world in a different way, from someone elses point of view - and that teaches empathy and makes books so formative.

I spent a lot of my teenage years reading and many, many nights I spent curled up with a good book. This saved me from endless possible bad dates, and having ended up very happily married with a truly fantastic hubby I am so happy that I had so many perfect evenings at home with amazing books.

Think about it - without books, there wouldn't be this amazing bookish community with such a huge online presence. Not only that, but some of my favourite conversations with people have been about books. We can fangirl together, we can debate over things, we can swoon over bookish boyfriends - there's so much about books that can be discussed! I've even met people just because I've seen that they are reading something that I have read and loved!

Well, not really - but they do calm her down enough that she does eventually go to sleep. I mean, she's two, and pretty much against all forms of sleeping, so the fact that she is lulled by words? Almost a miracle.

Books don't care how I look - I can read with absolutely no makeup on, hair poking out every which way and the books will never judge. Books don't even care if I can't pronounce the character names! I can read any time, any place, any how and the book will always be there for me (provided I remember to take it!)

Laughing out Loud. Laughing until I cry. Straight up crying. Making me empathise with a character so deeply that I feel all that they feel - I cry for them, I hurt for them, I am frustrated for them and when I finish my book I long to read more about them. Wanting to throw the book at the wall. Despair. Jealousy. Loving. Losing. Hoping. Hearbreak. ALL THE FEELS.

I don't even have to leave my bed, and I've been so many places - so many places in this world and in so many others! It changes the entire scope of my day. Of course I love real travelling too - but ah! Life! There's work, and more work and obligations. I cannot physically travel all of the time - but almost every night I'm reading about somewhere else and I am transported from my life.

Whatever you are experiencing, there's probably a book about it. And even if there isn't books can still help you deal with your current emotions. Fictional characters can be so relatable!

Above all else, books are in so many ways awesomely powerful.

What are you thankful for? Do you believe in the power of books? For what reasons are you thankful for books?