I've been reading a book by Marilyn McEntrye, Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies. If you're an English major or an English teacher, believe me, you'll love it. Today I came across this quote:
"This discipline (reading), the arduous training in reflection, reconsideration, invention, the capacity I mentioned for 'dwelling in possibility' and exercising 'negative capability,' is one of (Henry) James's great gifts to the reader. I would go so far as to call it virtue. To read him well is to practice certain virtues that lay the ground for compassion."
How does this kind of careful reading lead us to compassion? Well, it develops patience (everything about the character and the story is not revealed at once). Reading exposes us to different cultures, different experiences, and different periods of history. We learn to see through the eyes of another person who is not like us in some way. We gain understanding, which according to the Bible is part of developing wisdom.
"The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding." Proverbs 4:7
So read, and then read some more. Think about what you read. Share what you are reading with others. Read to your children. It's not just a way of escaping or a waste of time. Through this discipline you will gain a heart for compassion and understanding.
For more about reading see these posts:
Recovering the Lost Art of Reading by Leland Ryken and Glenda Faye Mathes
More About Books & Reading
More About Books & Reading
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