A Good Book

 

Daily Gratitude Year 13 - Day 71: Today, I am grateful for a good book.

“A sure sign of a good book is that you like it more the older you get.” -Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–1799) 

As a child, a favorite reward was a trip to the library. I would check out the maximum allowed and stay up late, under the covers, with a flashlight when I could. Sometimes, I was caught or April tattled. She liked to talk more than she liked to read, and we shared a room until we were in 5th and 7th grades. (Now that she is gone, I think talking may have been the better choice.) I love books! 

For my 6th birthday, Mama found an old Nancy Drew book. I was in heaven! It was "The Secret of the Wooden Lady." It sparked my love of mysteries and suspense. I learned about ships in that particular book. "The Mystery of the Glowing Eye " was full of Egyptian history. Our family visit to The Field Museum for the King Tutankhamen exhibit was at about the same time. Books and life can intersect. I still love history and archeology. 

I was just reading an article about the benefits of a book in the hand over a book on a screen. Pixels are not the same as words on a paper page. They need batteries and they go dead. I prefer a book in hand for my best reading, but an e-reader never gets too heavy. 

My favorite book is the Bible. It was Abraham Lincoln's favorite, too. It is full of everything from mystery and suspense, excellent business advice and relationship guidance. It would be my "one book" if I could only have one. I would struggle to determine a favorite translation. 

"The words of the wise are like cattle prods—painful but helpful. Their collected sayings are like a nail-studded stick with which a shepherd[a] drives the sheep. But, my child, let me give you some further advice: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out. That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty." -Ecclesiastes 12:11-13

This passage holds great advice. We can love books, but we need to choose them wisely. We should always love God first and people more. 

Today, I am grateful for a good book.