"I am not one who was born in the custody of wisdom. I am one who is fond of olden times and intense in quest of the sacred knowing of the ancients." Gustave Courbet

04 September 2010

Experience.


While walking through a yard sale recently I found a decrepit paperback copy of Stephen King's Skeleton Crew, the volume of short stories containing "Mrs. Todd's Shortcut." I examined it ... worn edges, dog-eared, creased cover, browned pages, the tooth of the paper, the grip it had on the letterforms.

And the smell ... time.

Fifty cents lighter in the pocket but a fortune richer in soul, ten minutes later I walked away with a treasure chest.

You'll never convince me of the legitimacy of electronic reading devices. The sensory impact of a book will never be duplicated by a sterile plastic box. To me this is as much a part of the experience of reading as the ideas expressed through the words.

Intimacy.

Individuality.

Imagination ... "I still wish I was a smoking man."

A friend's post inspired these thoughts of appreciation. Read it here. Thanks Cultural Offering.

No comments: