Reading is of immense value to our children because it gives them the tools to learn how to dream, how to aspire towards goals not yet realized, and how to think originally and intelligently. These are the benchmarks by which they'll be measured in the future.
Book lovers hate parting with their books. To the non or seldom reader, they don't get it. They simply see an object that is disposable once it's been read. But to the bibliophile, their books are so much more than that; they contain an essence of themselves in the past they can experience time and time again. And at the most difficult moments in life, when we fall off the path and lose sight of who we are, books can be maps that help us find ourselves again.
Book collecting might not always be the most practical thing in the world. But it's not meant to be. Because it's a passion, a love. The best and most beautiful things in life rarely are practical because they come from the heart. Beauty isn't interested in logic; only in the splendor of her attire.