I have read lots of books but forgotten most of them. What's the purpose of reading?

　　我虽然读了很多书，但是都忘了内容讲的是什么了，那么问题来了，读书的意义何在呢?

　　An old farmer lived on a farm in the mountains with his young grandson. Each morning grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his holy book. One day the grandson asked, "grandpa! I try to read the holy book just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the book do?"

　　从前，有一位老农和他的小孙子住在山间的农场里。每天早上，老人都会早早起床，坐在厨房桌子上读圣书。一天，他的孙子问道：“爷爷!我努力尝试像您一样读圣书，可我看不大懂，而那些能看懂的部分，一合上书我又给忘了。那我读这本书有什么用呢?”

　　老人正在给炉子添煤，这会儿平静地停下手中的动作，答道：“带着这个煤篮子到河边去，给我打一篮水回来吧。”

　　The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, "you'll have to move a little faster next time", and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out the door to watch the boy try again. At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house. The boy again dipped the basket into the river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, "see grandpa, it's useless!"

　　男孩便照做，可还没等他回到家，篮子里的水就都漏光了。老农夫笑道：“你下次得跑快点。”说完便又让他提着篮子回去。这一次，男孩跑得更快了，但半路上篮子里的水又漏光了。他喘着气告诉老农夫用篮子提水是不可能的，他要去换成桶。老人说：“我不要一桶水，我要的是一篮水。你只是没有尽全力罢了。”说完便出门想看着男孩再试一次。这回，男孩心里已经清楚这是不可能的，但为了向祖父证明即便自己竭尽全力地跑，水还是会在他没到家前就流光，便再一次把篮子浸到河里装水，提起后飞奔往回跑。不出所料，当他来到祖父面前时，篮子又一次空了。他气喘吁吁地说：“看吧，爷爷，根本没用!”

　　"So you think it is useless?" The old man said, "look at the basket." The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out.

　　“所以你觉得没用?”老人说，“你再看看篮子。”男孩看了看篮子，这时，他突然意识到篮子已经变得不一样了：本来又脏又旧的煤篮如今竟由内而外都变得干净如新。

　　So, that's what happens when you read the book. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out!

　　读书也是如此。或许你无法理解或记住所有东西，然而，当你在读它们的时候，它们已经由内而外地改变了你!

　　This story above uses a holy book as example, but applies to any book you read!!

　　这个故事以圣书为例，但其中的道理适用于你读的每一本书。