Reading has helped me in so many different ways. The one big thing is that it saved my life. Most people would not believe me, but learning how to read can keep you alive.
One day I was with my friends walking through the old back roads. We were all bored. Then we came up on an old rock quarry and there were no signs reading “Keep Out” or anything in that manner. So we decided to go in and have fun. And, of course, we had a good time climbing all of the big rocks, the buildings and swimming in the big quarry. It was getting a little late, so we all confirmed it was a good time to leave. And, we all knew we wanted to come back to this place.
The next morning we got up and met in our normal hang out spot and thought we should go back. We walked for about thirty minutes before we saw the first big dump truck. About fifteen minutes later, we saw the quarry. Everyone was saying that it would be cool to see the people work and I also thought it would be. We turned the corner and a sign read “Do Not Enter.” I turned around and started walking home, while everyone else kept walking in. That day an accident happened. One of my friends fell and hurt himself pretty bad. He was inches away from getting killed. That day I was so lucky to be able to read that sign.
What I learned that day is this: If you are not paying attention, and reading signs, being where you are not supposed to be can really get you in trouble. That day a kid fell off of a rock, broke his arm, and while lying in the road almost got run over by a dump truck. That could have been me if I wouldn’t have read that sign. I know I would have been with them climbing on those rocks doing stupid things. From then on I have paid better attention and read signs before I went into a place.
I think that most people learn by watching other people do stupid things. I know I learned that day not to do what other stupid people do. The person that fell had to learn the hard way through trial and error. I was fortunate that I did see that sign and didn’t go in with them. I know now that they will never go into a place that has a sign that says “Do Not Enter” again.