The Spirit and Grace of Reading

Just The Way It Is: 

 I talked about this the other day on the radio show. I wanted to take some time and really delve into this subject. Now, bear with me as I kind of get out on a limb.   

I have so many people to ask me, "Jerry, What should I read?" Now, some are asking me to suggest to them what is a good or informative read in their favorite category.  Many, really mean, WHAT SHOULD I READ! TELL ME I HAVE NO IDEA!"  Now, there are no stupid questions, but there silly questions.  My response to them is, "What do you like?" I mean its the same thing as me going up to someone and saying, " What do I like to eat?"  I promise you that anything you have an interest in, from cooking to camping, mysteries to space  travel,  needlepoint and  nuclear powered  ships or famous dogs, there is a book or something with the printed word out there for you to read.  Pick something. 

I've said over and over that there is nothing any more personal that reading.  Its more personal than the clothing you wear, the art you hang on the wall, the jewelry you wear on your fingers, wrists or neck. Reading is right up there auditory abilities, these will play into each other soon.  Yes, reading is that important.  Now, lets get this out of the way. 

Never let anyone tell you what to read or that what you're reading is wrong. Suggestions are fine, but to childe you or to be rude to you for what you're reading is wrong.  As I book dealer, I don't care what you read. You can read  the ancient classics, physics, medical textbooks or you can read harlequin romance novels, comics or cereal boxes.  I don't care what you read, just that you read!  Now onto the reason that I think that reading is so personal. Reading is personal as it actually gets into your head.  I mean you see a word and its letters. You know from your earliest schooling that  C- A - T spells Cat and you know what a cat is.  You're brain is actually registering that these marks mean CAT. Yes, you can look at your ring and  think of the store you bought it in, the town you were in, the people you were with and on and on. But reading is like exercise for your brain.  Then you speed that up and you branch out into sentences, paragraphs, pages, chapters and you're taking it all into your noggin.  You retain more information when you read.  You apply your new found knowledge to your life.  Now, if you really want to retain and remember, read it out loud.  You remember more of what you read when you read it out loud to yourself. In a way, you're getting it right into your brain with your own eyes and voice.   That's why I think that its so personal and private.  Here's the cool part.  In some secret part in you head you keep that information,forever. You may never use it again. It may be clouded in sickness or disease. But, its there. You never take it off. You never sell it or store it in the basement. Its always there.  READ for the process not for the content.  Now, understand I want you to grow and expand and read many things not just comics  or the fluffy stuff.  However, you've got to start somewhere.  Reading is one of the most important things that you can do during your day.  Hopefully, you're read this.