I read so many short, easy things. I read the label on the shampoo bottle, I read e-mail, I read the headings of all the top Google news stories, I read magazines. And this gives me lots of practice for all my short, easy thoughts: Turn left at the light. Bring a sweater. Add salt. There’s nothing wrong with thoughts like these; the world would collapse without them. But I also have longer, harder thoughts, ones that I circle slowly, over months, years, my whole life probably. I return again and again to the same irresolvable questions as I attempt to share my life with another person, to be a good daughter, to be an artist. These slow thoughts often catch me unawares, while turning left or adding salt. I am startled, almost insulted to be reminded of my own depths: This is unnecessary! I’m doing fine! I remembered to bring a sweater! Books hold a place inside of me for the long thoughts. And they also taught me how to think like that in the first place. Their slow cadence, the commitment and silence they require, the way they endure over generations—these are not easy qualities to locate in the world, or in myself. And the best part is, unlike most roads to the unknown, books aren’t conjured by prayer or devotion: They’re real, they’re cheap, and they make a sound when you drop them.
— Miranda July on books. (via somethingchanged)
Notes
-
lollapalooza-ninny reblogged this from somethingchanged
-
scribble-scribbles liked this
-
clairc reblogged this from somethingchanged
-
ruzargh reblogged this from somethingchanged
-
riseaboveittoloveit reblogged this from wallsandsound
-
riseaboveittoloveit liked this
-
alyssa617 reblogged this from enthusiasticallyyours
-
meginreallife reblogged this from saragregory
-
clioooooo reblogged this from nocureforcuriosity
-
her-seaside-limbs reblogged this from nocureforcuriosity
-
nocureforcuriosity reblogged this from asweetunrest
-
augustandafter liked this
-
odysseusmoore liked this
-
melodiscontent reblogged this from asweetunrest
-
asweetunrest reblogged this from clairefoley
-
alyssa617 liked this
-
fairylights liked this
-
okayjokesover liked this
-
lisaorsomething liked this
-
buyhercandy liked this
-
dailyscrapbook reblogged this from somethingchanged
-
kkkaaattteee liked this
-
tookaleftofflastlaughlane liked this
-
wallsandsound liked this
-
wallsandsound reblogged this from perhapsamongthestars
-
perhapsamongthestars reblogged this from cupcaketime
-
theballaddove reblogged this from cupcaketime
-
cupcaketime reblogged this from laneplusultra
-
wearefoodforworms reblogged this from cupcaketime
-
ventral liked this
-
glamourousslop liked this
-
sivahami liked this
-
enthusiasticallyyours reblogged this from somethingchanged
-
seltzerlizard liked this
-
collapsingsun reblogged this from mayeeware and added:
Absolutely priceless.
-
anotherword liked this
-
unfinishedsentence liked this
-
acontinuation liked this
-
lifebetweenbooks liked this
-
inkinherveins liked this
-
inkinherveins reblogged this from emphasisjm and added:
This quotation is so perfect, because I was discussing the fact that my students don’t read books. Sure, they read...
-
zadabrivanie reblogged this from somethingchanged
-
puddlenotes liked this
-
paperbackworld liked this
-
belledipalo reblogged this from somethingchanged
-
lanipauli liked this
-
lanipauli reblogged this from somethingchanged
-
cityheart liked this
-
cityheart reblogged this from alex-lately
-
beautifulambiguities reblogged this from literarypiano
- Show more notes
