“By
constantly having to listen to other
selves (––and that would certainly mean reading!)”
This is a quote from Nietzsche’s Ecce Homo.
Most
people, it’s true, can get along fairly well without ever reading a book. But I
wish such people would come to realize the fun of reading and make friends with
it. Reading is something like a small universe in which, while listening to
different voices, the selves of others resonate with one’s own.
Reading
is a journey to find oneself. It is true that books are packed with other
people’s thoughts, opinions, ways of looking at things, and experiences; but
you are also sure to find clues for discovering your self that haven’t
necessarily been apparent to you before. You might surrender not only your ears
but also your heart to the magical charm of a good book.
This
is caused by the interactions of Intangible Power.
If
you do not find a book interesting it is because you did not have a chance to
meet your self in it. In the same way you feel happy when you hit it off with
someone, you will feel excited and thrilled to find, by true serendipity, a
marvelous book. Without needing first-hand experience and knowledge, books can
help you find your own self; they can encourage you and give you dreams. The difference
is whether your companion is a living person or a book. When you feel like
being alone and undisturbed, your book speaks to you about many things, in
silence––without the chattering of talkative friends.
Reading
has become a kind of religion for me. It helps me take my mind off nasty and
painful things for a while and offers me a comfortable place to escape. And
further, it can heal, rescue, and counsel me. It is also a means to cultivate
one’s sensibility and thoughts, like listening to one’s favorite music or
looking at one’s favorite paintings.
You
might find the first ten pages of a book uninteresting; unable to exactly
understand what has been written, you wander around aimlessly in a forest of
words. But once you get over this first hurdle, you will obtain a clear view
and find yourself enthralled.
There
are many kinds of books: those you read for fun and those you want to read
again and therefore mark up with a highlighter pen. Some might become your
desk-side companions to cry and laugh along with you. The Intangible Power of reading is limitless.
Reading
is a source of my power. A world without it would make me uneasy. Just one book
can change your whole life. For that reason, it is necessary to listen to other
people’s voices humbly. Take your time, go to the bookshop and look around the
shelves. You will find many, many books by different authors; some are already
on your side and ready to lead you; others will pioneer new adventures,
speaking their dreams to you.
Anywhere,
in the space of just half a tatami mat, you can spend hours and hours, or as long as you like. There is no
other way to take advantage of this. Please make full use of this invisibleWonder Power
for yourself.
Reading
is It!
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