i have been anticipating this golden three day weekend with the expectant eagerness you would expect before a vacation or hyped event. i specifically protected this weekend from it’s typical state of over-scheduled madness to allow for a thorough recovery of the house, my monstrous to-do lists, and my sanity. the ambitious over-achiever in me had big plans to be über-productive: cultivate the garden, try some new recipes, finally find time to exercise, attack the pile of laundry, and maybe even get some work in to boost my results at the new job. all this and still have time to have some outdoor fun with my hubby and our canine companion. and i actually fit most of it in. but the most sublime part of the weekend was the extended spells of reading i was able to enjoy.
i’m a big fan of reading, to put it mildly. i think books are one of the most significant factors that have an impact on our lives. books have the ability to affect the education, history, entertainment, industry, society, and psychology of the world we live in. for those of us who love literature, i found it interesting (but not surprising) to learn recently that literary readers are statistically more likely to visit a museum, attend a performing arts event, do charity or volunteer work, participate in sports activities, and generally be more empathetic, energetic, and engaged with their community. (American Psychological Association) those are certainly admirable traits; who knew reading could propel you toward them?
i’m not going to start discussing the pros and cons of how one reads. there are already plenty of conversations circulating among bibliophiles about the benefits and downfalls of online novels versus a bound volume, audio books versus visual words, and the Amazon Kindle versus the actual tome. while purists will always prefer to hold paper and leather (or cardboard, rather) no matter how scarce their bookshelf real estate becomes, there are obvious advantages to alternative formats.
all i know is that reading of any kind is good. in my opinion, the best reading is a cross between learning and leisure – for me a great book combines enlightenment and enchantment, taking you to a higher place both intellectually and imaginatively. gotta love it.
Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted;
nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider.
Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed,
and some few to be chewed and digested:
that is, some books are to be read only in parts,
others to be read, but not curiously, and some few
to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.
~ Francis Bacon ~
