In the Ted Talk “What Reading Slowly Taught Me About Writing”, Jacqueline Woodson discusses the impact of reading slowly in our modern world and the effect of stories. One reason the speaker gives for reading is that reading can help you escape everyday life. In the beginning of her talk, she informs us that during the summers in NYC she wasn’t allowed to go outside and join the other children playing, so she would read slowly losing herself in every word in order to drown out the noise of what she was missing out on. This reason spoke to me because often when I am facing stress or feel overwhelmed by what is going on around me, I will read a book or watch a show to drown out what is causing me stress. As an example, when I am unhappy with what’s going on around me I like to play video games. They bring me into another world and allow me to feel happiness.  This reason for reading is very important because there are many people in the world who have struggles similar to the speakers. Reading books and getting lost in the stories told by the authors become an escape for these individuals and become a part of their everyday lives. It can also be viewed as a coping mechanism. You may find comfort in the characters you are reading about and reading about what happens to them or how they overcome their hardships may be inspiring to you. In that sense, reading becomes important also to the authors that write the books. They create worlds and stories that people get lost in, so they should be respected. To me, this reason showcases the creative minds that people have and the desire people have to escape the realities of their own lives. It means that the world we live in is not so colorful and often times very grim.