"The sources of our comfort are legion, and cannot be counted, but if we attempted the impossible and tried to make a list most of us would place books very high indeed, perhaps second only to faith, for reading is not only a pleasure in itself, with its concomitants of stillness, quietness and forgetfulness of self, but in what we read many of our other comforts are present with us like reflections seen in a mirror. If the light of our faith flickers we can make it steady again by reading of the faith of the saints, and hearing poetry sing to us the songs of the lovers of God. In the absence of children we can read about them, and in the cold and darkness of mid-winter look in the mirror of our book and see flowers and butterflies, and spring passing into the glow and warmth of summer."
Elizabeth Goudge, from the Preface to 'A Book of Comfort'.
3 comments:
What a perfect quotation about our friends, our books.
Lovely Leonie, how true it is too.
I also loved your post on literature based unit studies too. As you know Im following this approach more of late and I was thinking today Im enjoying this year more than any other year of homeschooling. :o) So relaxing and enjoying and so rich in learning. Thanks for being an encouragement.
love Bec
HI Leonie-
I am reading a bio of John Adams (a founder of the US) and he loved his books so much. He also loved his wife and kids a lot.. and in one of his diary pages when he was having to travel to PA to work on goverment stuff, he was greatly missing beiing home. He said, aside from his wife and dear children, what he missed most... his books. He made them sound like loving friends and solice.
Your quote reminded me of his. Thanks for posting it.
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