It seems the days--the centuries--of the book are numbered. Facebook, Twitter, et al, increasingly rule. Kindle and its ilk digitalize the written word, yet compromise the contemplative heart of reading in the process. But I don't believe that the choice of holing up and getting lost in a real, live, actual, compelling book can ever be replaced. It's an activity as essential to our complete humanity as breathing.
A BOOK
In my vision the Angel's always holding a book with the left hand pressing it close to the heart by this I know a book is more than simply a human invention it's an eternal archetype a potent symbol for wisdom teaching the computer can't replace it the computer thrusts me out into the hustle and distraction of the marketplace -- I'm a click away from a billion seductions! but the right book spirits me off to another world
inside me there's a special breathing space a watchful and listening solitude high up on this inner mountain nestles a secluded meadow where I drink from an icy cold and crystal clear stream here is my secret haven for reading the right book not only teaches and inspires me it's an enlightening guide sent to lead me back to my own boundlessness the right book distills a bracing elixer for my soul
I don't think we'll stay fully human if we abandon the palpable book a book of real pages we can turn with our hand a book of a certain heft and feel -- one we can also see and taste and smell a book we can carry off to a private room or tote into the deepest woods if we lose the intimate companionship of great books we lose more than just their enthralling wisdom we lose an irreplaceable part of ourselves
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Whether we realize it or not, we're all walking on a certain road--the road of our destiny, a road that never ends. We don't really have a choice about this. But everything depends on our growing consciousness of the journey!
THIS ROAD
this road I walk along sometimes it's wide other times it's narrow sometimes it's crowded other times it's solitary sometimes it's easy other times it's hard yet always I'm walking on some road coming from one place and going to another now and then I stop and rest for a while here or there I wish I could stay but then a dawn breaks which seems to widen outward forever and I know I must walk on
this road stretches back before I was born it leads forward beyond when I will die it's as new as my breath as old as my blood as primal as my bones meeting a stranger on this road we might pass without a word or decide to walk together for just a day or even a lifetime parting on this road can hurt like hell it's better to stare at the horizon and keep walking it's better not to turn around
this road sometimes crosses other roads then I stop and wait and ponder which way should I go? each direction's equally unknown if I veer left there could be danger but if I pivot right it might be worse yet marching straight ahead is no sure thing either when there's not even a signpost to guide me I do what I always do I listen for the still small voice within I follow the compass needle of my soul
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