Eternal

Eternal: How the World of Reading Reshapes Our Lives Anew

In an age where the pace of life keeps accelerating and digital distractions multiply, stealing away our moments of reflection, there remains a safe haven and a hidden power capable of bringing about radical, comprehensive change in a person's being: the power of the world of reading. The episode "Eternal" from the Abajora podcast is not just casual talk about reading books — it is a living testimony and a deep personal experience summed up in one sentence carrying a great deal of hope: "Reading changed my life... and it can change yours too." We firmly believe that reading books is not merely a hobby we practice in our spare time, but a long-term strategic investment that enriches your thinking, broadens your horizons, sharpens your eloquence, expands your knowledge without limits, and builds unshakable self-confidence — especially once you learn how to turn this great skill into a daily habit and a way of life woven into the fabric of your everyday world of reading.

Sailing Through the World of Reading: From Inscriptions to Screens

We begin our journey in this episode by sailing through the vast, expansive world of reading, exploring its history rooted deep in the ancient of human civilizations, and how this practice evolved from primitive inscriptions on stone to rare manuscripts, then to printed paper pages, all the way to the digital screens we carry in our pockets today. We discuss the deep human motivations that drive us to read books, and the close relationship between books and our identity and our civilizational and intellectual development. The benefit of reading goes beyond simply acquiring dry information; it is a spiritual and mental communication process that transcends time and place, connecting us to the minds of great thinkers who came centuries before us, and opening doors to imaginary and real worlds we would never have entered were it not for the magic of the written word and the power of imagination.

What Happens in Our Minds When We Read?

The episode delves into the fascinating scientific and physiological side, asking with intellectual curiosity: what happens in our brain when we enter the world of reading? We explore recent scientific research showing how reading books activates specific, complex regions of the brain, strengthens neural connections, and develops the faculties of imagination and human empathy. On the other hand, we pose a fundamental and equally troubling question: what happens when we stop entering the world of reading? How does a person's horizon narrow, their creative wellspring dry up, and their analytical abilities decline when they abandon the world of reading? Intellectual stagnation is the inevitable result of the absence of reading books and the habit of reading from our daily lives — something we try to warn against, offering practical alternatives to avoid it and return to the path of enlightenment.

Strategies for Strengthening the Reading Habit in Our Lives

Most importantly, this episode offers practical, tangible answers on how to strengthen this great skill in our busy modern lives. How do we choose what to read amid this enormous volume of publications? And how do we find enough time to read amid the crowd of responsibilities and commitments? The true benefit of reading becomes clear once it becomes an inseparable part of our daily routine, and once we deeply realize that every page we read is a real step toward a better, more aware version of ourselves. We are here to lovingly encourage you to return to the embrace of books, and to discover the hidden treasures in the world of reading — a wellspring that never runs dry.

Production Team

A wonderful team worked passionately to produce this rich, inspiring episode:

• Hosted and presented by: Lubna Al-Khamis

• Editorial and research team: Dania Musa, Abdullah Al-Balawi, Mashael Al-Duraiyan

• Sound engineering: Hisham Al-Adeeni

• Production: Pixel House

Episode Sponsor: International Prize for Arabic Children's Literature

This episode comes to you with the generous sponsorship of the International Prize for Arabic Children's Literature. Since its founding in 2009, this prestigious award — presented by "e&" (formerly the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature) and organized by the Emirates Board on Books for Young People — has contributed to enriching local and Arab library shelves with numerous distinguished and unique publications. The award has produced a large number of prominent names in the fields of writing, illustration, and production, making it the most prominent and influential Arabic award in the field of children's and young adult literature, and a key driver in encouraging new generations to passionately enter the world of reading from an early age. Supporting such cultural initiatives strengthens the benefit of reading in building aware, cultured societies, and affirms that reading books is the cornerstone and first building block in constructing a bright, sustainable future for our children and our nation.

Join us in the episode "Eternal," to discover together how a book can be an eternal, faithful companion on life's journey, and how a sincere word can build endless worlds of beauty and knowledge.