Finding the power of words by Tzu-Ya

Finding the power of words by Tzu-Ya - May 2017 Scholarship Essay

“No!”, would be the typical response of childhood me to reading. As a little kid, the outdoors and playing would always seem much more fun and entertaining than sitting down and reading through words on flimsy paper.
However, that perspective was completely and utterly shattered in third grade, when a friend introduced me to the first book of the Magic Tree House series, Dinosaurs Before Dark. Never before had the seemingly boring words fused together to take me to universes unknown, to introduce me to people I’d never met but soon fell in love with, to make me laugh or cry or gasp, to take my heart and steal it. From the first book and through the continuation of the series, Mary Pope Osborne’s wonderful series took my life and threw it onto a road of change.
Dinosaurs Before Dark didn’t just spark a passion for reading, it sparked the process of molding me into part of who I am today. Seeing the interaction of Jack and his sister Annie showed me what looking out for another family member meant, and as the oldest of three (usually annoying) siblings, that is a lesson I need to learn everyday. Reading about all the different and wild adventures sparked my previously undirected creativity, and gave me reason to dream and to dare to try the same way Jack and Annie try their best in all the different tasks and missions they are given. Most of all, watching the words come together into a symphony of images glazed in emotion showed me the power words hold.
More than sparking a passion for reading, Dinosaurs Before Dark made me realize that the words we are so fond of using without a second thought hold tremendous power. They don’t just form images, don’t just express emotion, don’t just weave stories, but they bring to life the moments, the joys, the sorrows of characters that breathe through the pages. This brought a whole new dimension to my reading of Jack and Annie’s adventure, as they faced the dinosaurs and struggled to find a way back home.
Most importantly, words have the power to encourage or destroy, to change thoughts or fuel the fires of passion. When Jack and Annie experienced encouragement from others in the story, I felt it along with them, and many of things the two learned sparked my own fire of passion for learning new things. Because of what Dinosaurs Before Dark showed me, I learned to express my thoughts and creative worlds through words, and that has been a lasting hobby even through my darkest or brightest times.