"But memory lends itself to even deeper attention, to continued and ongoing rumination and depth, similar to how the oldest and dearest friend you have has seen you and formed you at different points in your life." - Oh! This is convicting and inspiring for me as well! My daughters just memorized a walking song by JRR Tolkien at their outdoor school and I was overwhelmed with the gift that this is for them now at ages 6&7, but also the rest of their lives!
PS: I heard you speak in Colorado Springs and that was a gift as well! I CANNOT stop talking about Humility to everyone and what I learned in that lecture!
I have always thought of books as I would a good relationship, almost as people. The act of reading becomes, in a certain sense, interactive, especially when I reread a section for better understanding. It came as a surprise to me when I discovered that most folks did not see books that way. Imagine my disappointment.
That contrast between “haphazard reading” and giving yourself to certain authors long enough to be formed by them feels especially relevant right now. The line comparing reading to the difference between a passing guest and a true companion sticks—it explains why some books stay with you and others don’t. I also like the connection to prayer interrupting reading, not as a distraction but as something that deepens it. It makes reading feel alive, not just informational. It connects with something I’ve been thinking about too—how what we return to over time ends up shaping us more than what we pass through once. I wrote a short piece around that kind of formation here: https://theeternalnowmm.substack.com/p/the-man-who-tried-to-surprise-god?r=71z4jh
Peace is a practical prayer, and anger and shame can say the time is now?
I posed this peculiar question to google minutes ago and got an unexpected very detailed appraisal...
"Denver as a future heartland of North America, spiritual and religious, with a scholarly inheritance, given a return to a less urban and industrialised civilisation, connected still by old waterways and trading routes, possibly also by rail?"
best wishes from Borderlands Scotland England... and lots of old stories
"But memory lends itself to even deeper attention, to continued and ongoing rumination and depth, similar to how the oldest and dearest friend you have has seen you and formed you at different points in your life." - Oh! This is convicting and inspiring for me as well! My daughters just memorized a walking song by JRR Tolkien at their outdoor school and I was overwhelmed with the gift that this is for them now at ages 6&7, but also the rest of their lives!
PS: I heard you speak in Colorado Springs and that was a gift as well! I CANNOT stop talking about Humility to everyone and what I learned in that lecture!
How lovely! I'm so glad you enjoyed the lecture, and I love the story about the walking song and your daughters ❤️
I have always thought of books as I would a good relationship, almost as people. The act of reading becomes, in a certain sense, interactive, especially when I reread a section for better understanding. It came as a surprise to me when I discovered that most folks did not see books that way. Imagine my disappointment.
YES completely agree. One can be friends with the long dead, through their words in their books. Reading is a conversation!
That contrast between “haphazard reading” and giving yourself to certain authors long enough to be formed by them feels especially relevant right now. The line comparing reading to the difference between a passing guest and a true companion sticks—it explains why some books stay with you and others don’t. I also like the connection to prayer interrupting reading, not as a distraction but as something that deepens it. It makes reading feel alive, not just informational. It connects with something I’ve been thinking about too—how what we return to over time ends up shaping us more than what we pass through once. I wrote a short piece around that kind of formation here: https://theeternalnowmm.substack.com/p/the-man-who-tried-to-surprise-god?r=71z4jh
Yes! love your words about prayer making reading feel alive, beyond information.
I love the Aix Annunciation so much! And I hope you had a great time in Grand Rapids - I miss it. 🌺
It was wonderful to be in Grand Rapids. And the Aix Annunciation is truly WONDERFUL!
Peace is a practical prayer, and anger and shame can say the time is now?
I posed this peculiar question to google minutes ago and got an unexpected very detailed appraisal...
"Denver as a future heartland of North America, spiritual and religious, with a scholarly inheritance, given a return to a less urban and industrialised civilisation, connected still by old waterways and trading routes, possibly also by rail?"
best wishes from Borderlands Scotland England... and lots of old stories