Tags
atmosphere, c.s.lewis, friends, literature, mental-health, miscellaneous, quotes, reaing, thinking, writing
I came across a question the other day that made me stop and think. It was just five words and a question mark, but it opened up a whole world of ideas.
But what is actually reading? The answer may seem simple and straight forward, reading is the skill of seeing, understanding and interpreting written words. But is that really all it is?
The more I thought about it the more I realised that reading is so much more and doesn’t actually need the written word at all. We don’t just read words, we read people and their actions, situations, atmospheres, pictures and sometimes even clouds.
So while I enjoy the written word as a form of communication, a tool to learn and understand and as pathways into my imagination with it’s endless stream of stories I think I may possibly read a lot more unwritten things then I am aware of.
I read the the weather before I get dressed, I read my students and the atmosphere in the class room, I read strangers behaviours around me, I read between the lines of what my friends tell me, I read their feelings and even read my own moods, wants and needs.
Of course I get it wrong sometimes, just like little spelling mistakes in a word can change it’s whole meaning, so can little signs, feeling and ideas change how you view what is right i font of you. But most of the time, like that sentence in a book you misunderstood, you don’t notice your error till further down in the book or situation.
However no matter how often I misread something the lure of reading always pulls me back in, no matter if it’s books or the world around me. Like C.S. Lewis once said:
You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me
What a lovely trail of thoughts…as for the written word, what a world it opens up when we comprehend it. I’m grateful to be able to read and write!
me too, always wonder about people who don’t read (not those that can’t), do they know what the are missing out on? And as for those who can’t I feel sorry and hope they can all learn some day
everybody who can does read (maybe not books but ingredients on food, traffic signs, perscription instructions, etc…think of all the doors that would be closed without the ability to read – it’s staggering!)
*sigh* once again your lovely words and thoughts make me feel transported to a lovely turret room in a draft Victorian house, curled up in a large well worn leather club chair with a nice cup of tea and maybe some pretty little cakes.
Somewhere in Great Britain of course! 😉
And I simply cannot fathom not reading! My 10-yr old hates it. Actually my 13-yr old does too. It simply kills me!!! Both refuse to give in to the wonder and joy of reading. (And their grades suffer greatly because of it) my 6 & 8 yr olds are like me, hard to get them to put a book down. And my daughter (8), she loves to read people, their emotions, etc. It makes me sad that the older two discount such a lovely and insightful thing, reading.
Love your posts, as always. This is out so eloquently!!
❤ Jules
oh so sad to here that but my brother didn’t really read till he hit his late teens, so there is hope yet 🙂
And yes a turret filled with books would be my idea of heaven … with cups of tea
It is so true…we read other ‘people’ and situations every day and make assumptions on what we do read…Diane
I know and sometimes we get it right and sometimes we get it soooo wrong