My friends tell me I read too much. Every time they see me, my nose is buried in a book. Mysteries, thrillers, romance, fantasy - I read them all. And I learn a lot, too!

Fiction has taught me many things. I've learned that history repeats itself and that happy endings are often bittersweet. I've learned that having a good friend comes in handy, and that many things in life happen for the best - even if we don't like or understand them.

Why is reading such a popular pastime? I can’t speak for others, but I read for school, for entertainment, even out of curiosity. Reading offers me freedom. My imagination can soar to limitless heights and I can become whatever I want. Even in history and text books, I find my imagination wandering back in time and thinking what it must have been like "way back, when."

For me, reading is an escape that not only lets me get away from the stresses of life and totally immerse myself in a far away place, it's also the kind of escape that makes me think. I can sit back and imagine all the things that have happened in this world and can happen still. It's a quiet place to think about the "What if's" - a place where I can consider how the next chapters of history - our future - might be written.

Elizabeth Gaston is sixteen years old. She is a home-schooled student from Woodbridge VA and lives with her parents, little brother and the family pets. She enjoys reading, writing, and climbing trees.

You can write Elizabeth at IzzyCG@aol.com