The world is messy.
Crime. Poverty. Inequality. Hatred.
Books are not messy. Is there crime, poverty, inequality, and hatred? Sure. But books put those things in perspective. They're the villains of the story. Which means you also have heroes: joy, kindness, empowerment. Love.
Books take you out of a world where nothing makes sense and puts you into a world where everything makes sense. Science fiction, fantasy, dystopia - it doesn't matter. We visit these worlds to escape our own and find exactly what we need.
Some people like to read books that are "real", some like to read books that definitely aren't. There is, quite literally, a book for everyone. Once you find it, you cling to it. It gives you a foundation. A sense of peace and rightness when the world is sideways. In times of stress and anxiety, you go back to this book and it always gives you exactly what you need.
I hope everyone has at least one foundation book. I hope you read it every year. I hope it gives you something new every time. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. It's out there, and it's just waiting for you to find it when you need it the most.