I know, I know! You don’t like to read! I get it, trust me, I do!

It’s pointless, right? You get along just fine, right?

Ahmmm, I beg to differ! Hear me out…

Before I go any further, I would like to say to anyone reading this that knows or suspects someone close to them may not be able to read make it a point to share what you know, in the most humble way you can muster.

Exhales heavily Okay, back to reading.

Did you know that there does not exist one single movie that can replicate the movie that plays, live and direct, in your brain; while you read?

I dare you to prove me wrong. Pick any book that has a movie made after it. Then, read the book first. After reading the book, watch the movie. I guarantee you that there will be scenes that you vividly remember in that book that are obviously missing or grossly misrepresented in its associated movie rendering.

For those who read this and know someone who doesn’t know how to read and would genuinely like to follow my advise and help them, I have a starting point for you.

Humans are visual entities. Our speech is a way to demonstrate what is going on in our minds. Because an individual does not speak, whether by choice or otherwise, one would be foolish to conclude their lack of intelligence, very foolish indeed!

You would be surprise the kind of impact you could have. I must warn you, it is very, very important that your assistance is sincere, discreet, and warranted. Don’t disregard this point; it is essential.

Everyone that can read; should make it a point to pass it on. So, yep, got a little distracted. I’m back.

Starting point: Because we naturally learn through our eyes, the first lesson you can teach is that you can look at words like pictures.

Bare with me, listen, most children who are not able to read are able to acknowledge when they see McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut. They are able to do this, because the actual words are the logo for these companies.

So these children who are unable to read, are able to identify that these words, processed in their minds as pictures, everywhere and anywhere that they see them.

What do I mean? Okay, if you tell an individual to look at the letters ‘the’ long and carefully enough so that if they are these letters again they would recognize them as the word ‘the‘, their brain will begin to process those three letters like it processes familiar scenery in a familiar neighborhood.

Then, tell them, no matter where you see these three letters, ‘the’, whether on a wall, a paper, or a billboard, they will alway mean the English word ‘the’.

Now, make it a point to find weird places where you see the word ‘the’; whether it be Facebook, television, a newspaper, or the package of a new toy. I bet they are able to recognize the word ‘the’ and say it.

Guess what they are doing? Reading!!!

Short and sweet!!! My challenge for the upcoming week!