Authors, Books, and The Written Word

"A book must be the axe

for  the frozen sea

inside us."

Franz Kafka

We can visit most any one's office and by scanning the books on the shelves, we catch a reflection of the person claiming this space.  Throughout childhood, school years. careers, and the passage of later years, books are heightening imagination, exposing theories, applying knowledge, and enjoying wisdom. 

 

Meaningful words are read from a page, processed though our brain, and either digested or rejected.  We stash some phrases in our hearts, memorize words for courage, and utilize what we have gained to support our journey. 

 

There are some books that become our life long friends like THE LITTLE PRINCE or WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS.    Many are road signs, indicating the twists and turns we have mastered or failed.  Each book can be an indication of the passages we have traveled.

 

There are also authors who some how became dear friends, if only in our minds.  We at times overly identify with a writer and recite passages carefully memorized.  If time is taken to explore the personal life of a favorite author, we can be very surprised by the eccentric life style or mind set of a person we have long admired. 

 

We have also invested ourselves into books.  We have somehow become a part of the weaving of the story and may have edited behaviors of particular characters shaping them into something they were never meant to be. 

 

Listen to an interview regarding  a special book and hear the intentions of the author. We may have

a completely different understanding than what was intended, to the even to the extent we adamantly

disagree with the writer.  It is in this very way, however, that a book stirs the waters within.  Through deepening our arguments or enhancing our belief systems, the words of the author broadens our horizons for which we shall always be thankful.