"We read to know we're not alone." William NicholsonThe movie Shadowlands, with Anthony Hopkins, is the story about C.S. Lewis and his wife Joy. In the movie, one of Lewis' students quotes his father as saying, "We read to know we're not alone." Later in the movie they meet again and Lewis repeats this quote back to his student. The quote had a profound impact on the son’s life as he followed in his father’s footsteps. And, as it turns out, it had a profound impact on Lewis by the end of the movie.
What is the connection we have with the words we read from others? It can be fiction—whether a book or a movie, non-fiction, a letter from a friend, a chronicle of events in history, or even a column in a newspaper. Another movie about reading is You've Got Mail. Meg Ryan's character sends a message to a friend in a chat room saying in part, "So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book; when, shouldn't it be the other way around?" Whether my reading reminds me of life or life mimics what I’ve read, I believe there is a connection. That connection happens—fiction or non-fiction—when their words resonate with my experience, when they're speaking the truth from their heart. Like a bobble head, I nod at a passage in a non-fiction book where someone has captured my experience in words. My reaction might be, "Been there, done that." Fiction, on the other hand, that speaks to me is all about a collection of characters that I can relate to, characters I care about. When I finish a book like this I might respond, "I didn't want it to end." In both cases I glean from other people’s words the truth of the human experience. Whether in my ah-ha non-fiction moment, or that not want to let go of my new friends experience, truth shakes my world. I don't know who first said, "You are what you read," but it does support the idea that I grow as a result of what I'm reading. If you're like me, I'm never far from a pen when I read non-fiction. More than once I've had to buy a new book for a person who loaned me their copy. I exhibited little restraint as I underlined, highlighted and commented in the columns. I enjoy distilling down the words to that Truth that applies to the human experience, those words that remind me I'm not alone. Movies, fiction stories, non-fiction topics, news articles or op-ed., whether current events or sermons from a hundred years ago...all have provided me with a myriad of quotes, underlined, tagged or copied. I would love to share some of my favorites with you. I hope you will join me on my quest. I would love to share with you what I've learned and the connection I've discovered to that underlying Truth. I will try to leave a challenge for me—and you, if you'd like. And, of course, I'd love to hear your ideas, comments, and your favorite quotes. It’s how we know we’re not alone. "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25 What are your thoughts? Libby Note: William B. Nicholson (1948- ), British screenwriter, playwright and novelist, has won two Academy Awards: Best Adapted Screenplay for Shadowlands, and Best Original Screenplay for Gladiator. Nicholson also adapted the Les Miserables screenplay for the 2012 film of the same name.
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WelcomeI love the wisdom of the ages gleaned from relevant quotes. In them there is a connection to the human experience that crosses all borders. Join me as I relate my personal experiences, and link the wisdom of the quote to the Source of all wisdom: God's Word, the Bible. Enjoy, Libby Categories
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July 2019
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