A Good Read for A Good Life
“Books are not made to be believed but to be subjected to inquiry. When we consider a book we shouldn’t ask what it says but what it means.” ~ Umberto Eco The Name of the Rose
I love Eco’s insight into books. There is meaning in them. Meaning defines a literary story from a tale told for entertainment solely. The meaning at first doesn’t take, perhaps. Other times, we see and feel it immediately.
Kate, my wife, and I are watching the new Le Miserables (Victor Hugo) series on PBS. It’s riveting. From the beginning, we’re pulled into a world of pain, conflict, and one’s search for resolution and meaning. There’s a visceral flow of energy with each scene.
Energy, a visionary and imaginative charge, brings stories to life. They touch us where it counts. They speak to us of real things happening in real lives. They speak to us of our life.
Our life – now we get down to it. Secretly or openly we want and deeply desire answers. At least, we’ll settle for opening our minds to new thoughts. Visionary inspiration births thoughts that surprise us. Hermes, the archetypal trickster life energy with us, quickens us to what to read that’s good, meaningful.
I know I hunger for meaningful books. When I finish one, there’s a sigh and a letting go. It’s been good, very good. Like a nourishing meal. Then, there’s usually another book waiting (usually around six or seven on my kindle and the same number on my stack of unread hard copies). One of them stands out. It’s there I go, meaning calls. I need, crave, good books because I seek to nurture a life nurturing and meaningful.
This Spring, consider taking up the habit of good reads. Have them lined up and ready to go. There’s always a few minutes, maybe more, each day to have a good read for a good life.
“Live Deeply…Read Daily”