Wisdom In Waiting
Wisdom in waiting …
is how I refer to the (many) unread books adorning my shelves, and other prime positions in my office and elsewhere.
When I discovered the Japanese philosophy of Tsundoku referring to the piles of unread books that accumulate, I realised this was a more-than-me problem. It is always comforting to know that we’re not the only ones in the world.
If we were to believe the hype, reading has become one of those competitive sports where we must aim for the pinnacle, and found in the large tally of numbers in the “read’ column. There are numerous apps and shortcut hacks to help us on our way.
What if our books are more than simply a list of things we’ve read?
Whether read or not, for me they represent an outlet for my curiosity and a haven of wonder and awe. On the shelves, and in piles, I see ideas and possibility; humility and yearning; and opportunities for growth and learning. Of course, there is knowing that joy and comfort resides on the pages, waiting for me.
And, it’s worth noting tsundoku has a practical edge, as author Jonathan Edward Durham suggests we’re just “prepping for the possibility that one day (we) might have 173 years to do nothing but read”.
Sounds good to me; what about you?