READ
I have many friends who love to read, and some who don't read at all. This is a common phenomenon, with varying degrees of interest in reading among different people. Today, I want to talk about those who love to read.
Readers come from all walks of life. They read both physical and electronic books, and they fall in love with reading for various reasons. Some travel frequently for work, and reading helps them calm their minds during the long journeys. Others read as a way to escape from life's difficulties. Reading doesn't necessarily solve problems, but it can provide relief from anxiety and pain, offering a glimpse into another world. On the other hand, some people read to find solutions. This is the oldest function of books, as we all heard when we were young: "Books are the ladder of human progress." While this statement may sound lofty, the reality is more mundane. In everyday life, people often read to find solutions to problems: How to work more efficiently? How to start a successful business? What is the scientific way to live a long life? No matter what the problem is, the solution must first be found in books.
Because of my bookworm friends, I have joined many reading groups over the years. Nowadays, young people may not have joined physical reading groups, but the atmosphere in some physical bookstores is quite good, even for introverted people who are not talkative. However, online groups are more common now, and they are formed and disbanded quickly. Reading has also become less about understanding and more about quickly summarizing and comparing who can summarize the best.
Over time, even book lovers find it difficult to see eye to eye. People read at different times and on different topics. The hardships of life seep into their reading habits, and everyone looks for answers or comfort in the books they read at the moment. Occasionally, you will receive recommendations from other book lovers, like a ray of sunshine entering a cramped basement, telling you that your confusion is actually quite common and that there may be other solutions.
The types of books people read also change naturally. When I was young, I read everything, and different types of books were beneficial: novels to exercise my imagination, non-fiction books to learn new skills, and biographies to set good examples in life. Later on, different types of books were gradually eliminated, not because those books were useless, but because I had less time to read. Finding solutions to life's problems became the priority, which was a rather unimaginative standard for selecting books. But this is also normal.
Gradually, reading has become a solitary activity. When you read, the world is quiet and cold. Reading becomes a side dish. In the movie "Big Buddha Plus", side dishes refer to when the families of prisoners who are too far away to visit can find a small restaurant near the prison to make some food and bring it into the prison. Maybe you can't do anything, maybe you can't change anything. But eating a good meal can make you feel decent, dignified, and alive for a moment.
Many years ago, when I was studying counseling, I attended a seminar on bibliotherapy. The theory is that people read books not only to escape the familiar world and travel to other places, or to gain knowledge, but also to alleviate existential suffering, the suffering that is inherent in being human.
This theory has existed for a long time. In the 16th century, after his friend died of plague, French philosopher Montaigne wrote that reading books can have a healing effect. Plato also said something similar: art can restore balance to a soul that has been severely shocked. George Eliot said it can broaden the mind, transcend personal destiny, and encourage people to connect with others. Poet William Wordsworth said that reading poetry can help people find "a foothold in time," allowing them to recover from the pressures of life and repair and reshape themselves.
In bibliotherapy courses, many methods are similar to book clubs. Some courses will ask participants to find a book they would like to give to a friend, relative, or stranger. Others will lead participants to read memoirs, which can become a way to understand life.
I think it is a very suitable way for group therapy. Books are of course the medium, and the content of books can be varied, but they will all gradually build trust among the members. Reading is an assignment, and sharing is an outlet. A book club is a small shelter that people build through sharing. This is not only helpful for general mental health, but also can effectively relieve work pressure.
In fact, whether or not reading is a therapy is not important. The fact that it can help many people at least shows that it is possible to view reading simply as a way to move forward in life. It makes you feel like you are part of a bigger world, no more and no less.
I have many friends who love to read, and some who don't read at all. This is a common phenomenon, with varying degrees of interest in reading among different people. Today, I want to talk about those who love to read.
Readers come from all walks of life. They read both physical and electronic books, and they fall in love with reading for various reasons. Some travel frequently for work, and reading helps them calm their minds during the long journeys. Others read as a way to escape from life's difficulties. Reading doesn't necessarily solve problems, but it can provide relief from anxiety and苦难, offering a glimpse into another world. On the other hand, some people read to find solutions. This is the oldest function of books, as we all heard when we were young: "Books are the ladder of human progress." While this statement may sound lofty, the reality is more mundane. In everyday life, people often read to find solutions to problems: How to work more efficiently? How to start a successful business? What is the scientific way to live a long life? No matter what the problem is, the solution must first be found in books.
Because of my bookworm friends, I have joined many reading groups over the years. Nowadays, young people may not have joined physical reading groups, but the atmosphere in some physical bookstores is quite good, even for introverted people who are not talkative. However, online groups are more common now, and they are formed and disbanded quickly. Reading has also become less about understanding and more about quickly summarizing and comparing who can summarize the best.
Over time, even book lovers find it difficult to see eye to eye. People read at different times and on different topics. The hardships of life seep into their reading habits, and everyone looks for answers or comfort in the books they read at the moment. Occasionally, you will receive recommendations from other book lovers, like a ray of sunshine entering a cramped basement, telling you that your confusion is actually quite common and that there may be other solutions.
The types of books people read also change naturally. When I was young, I read everything, and different types of books were beneficial: novels to exercise my imagination, non-fiction books to learn new skills, and biographies to set good examples in life. Later on, different types of books were gradually eliminated, not because those books were useless, but because I had less time to read. Finding solutions to life's problems became the priority, which was a rather unimaginative standard for selecting books. But this is also normal.
Gradually, reading has become a solitary activity. When you read, the world is quiet and cold. Reading becomes a side dish. In the movie "Big Buddha Plus", side dishes refer to when the families of prisoners who are too far away to visit can find a small restaurant near the prison to make some food and bring it into the prison. Maybe you can't do anything, maybe you can't change anything. But eating a good meal can make you feel decent, dignified, and alive for a moment.
Many years ago, when I was studying counseling, I attended a seminar on bibliotherapy. The theory is that people read books not only to escape the familiar world and travel to other places, or to gain knowledge, but also to alleviate existential suffering, the suffering that is inherent in being human.
This theory has existed for a long time. In the 16th century, after his friend died of plague, French philosopher Montaigne wrote that reading books can have a healing effect. Plato also said something similar: art can restore balance to a soul that has been severely shocked. George Eliot said it can broaden the mind, transcend personal destiny, and encourage people to connect with others. Poet William Wordsworth said that reading poetry can help people find "a foothold in time," allowing them to recover from the pressures of life and repair and reshape themselves.
In bibliotherapy courses, many methods are similar to book clubs. Some courses will ask participants to find a book they would like to give to a friend, relative, or stranger. Others will lead participants to read memoirs, which can become a way to understand life.
I think it is a very suitable way for group therapy. Books are of course the medium, and the content of books can be varied, but they will all gradually build trust among the members. Reading is an assignment, and sharing is an outlet. A book club is a small shelter that people build through sharing. This is not only helpful for general mental health, but also can effectively relieve work pressure.
In fact, whether or not reading is a therapy is not important. The fact that it can help many people at least shows that it is possible to view reading simply as a way to move forward in life. It makes you feel like you are part of a bigger world, no more and no less.
The dishes in a side dish may not be good, but if you think of it as a treat, the world is not so cold, and there are always people who are connected to you.
Humans can explore space and the inner self, but they must first eat. We must grasp both food and spiritual food.
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