Beyond Words

“The difference between a smart man and a wise man is that a smart man knows what to say, a wise man knows whether or not to say it.”-F.M. Garafola

Reading has no other end than learning. That may very well be arguable, but I stand my ground. In the case of reading for entertainment: we are entertained when we learn of events that have occurred elsewhere, fates that have befallen others, ideas from others’ minds. Reading to merely pass the time also still allows one to learn, although passively.

Through reading too, we get to augment what we know, and also learn how much we really don’t know. Much like standing on the highest peak of a certain place—we see a lot; further our horizon, and yet, we know that beyond that horizon, there is more to discover, more to learn.

Reading also gives one a better command of a language—allowing you to say more with fewer words. This lends better direction to what you think, what you say, and eventually what you write. Simply put, it simplifies life.

Let me end with the reminder that the best readings of a work are done between its lines but not all lines are of words, on books, on paper. Sometimes, the best stories are told by the lines of a furrowed brow, streaks left by fallen tears, lips parted in silence—the lines of a weathered life.