Words on the Page

Read: To examine or grasp the meaning of.

Recently a friend asked us (to settle a bet) how many books we have in the house. A quick, rough count brought us to approximately 1200. That figure doesn't tell the whole story. I'm known at the library for wearing out my card. We don't buy a book and put it on the shelf here until we've already read it and know that we either want to share it, reference it, or read it again; the books on our shelves are well-worn and seldom gather dust. 

Reading is ubiquitous in the life of our family; we read alone and together, silently and aloud, on the porch, at lunch, in bed. It's not unusual for us to spend an evening in the living room working on various projects while one of us reads out loud. One of our boys used to take a book and a chair out to the coop and read with the chickens and the ducks in the run.  

For me, reading and writing are closely related. I'm a reader who writes; those two activities have similar roles in the life of my mind. Writing isn't something I do to be read by others, it's the way I study and sort out the world for myself. Our English word read comes from an Old English word meaning advise and interpret. I like that. Words on the page, whether I'm writing them or reading them, help me to process what I experience, and when I'm fortunate enough to read or write with others, it allows us to engage in that process together, to build and strengthen our common life. 

All of us at the Farmhouse read broadly and deeply: novels and essays; art, poetry, children's books, and plays; history, theology, commentary, and craft; biography, adventure, and the natural world – all food for conversation and thought. Reading books expands us in ways that quick-consumption media cannot. Books are a tried-and-true springboard for long thoughts which, in turn, uniquely stretch our capacity for connecting dots and finding new perspectives. A number of studies over the past few years have even drawn a significant link between reading literary fiction and empathy. Reading thoughtful words helps us to examine and grasp the world around us and positively changes the way we respond. 

A very good reason to reach for a book, a blanket, and a mug of something hot on these chilly winter days.