Archivi dei tag: world

The Power of Reading: Understanding the World Through Words

I received an email inviting me to buy books also containing a phrase that inspired this post: “Why reading teaches us to read”.

I think that this aphorism, if I can call it like that, embodies the profound value of reading in our lives. Reading is not just a pastime; it is a source of knowledge and a powerful tool for interpreting the world around us. Reading empowers us to decipher the world and recognize the stories unfolding beyond the pages of books — those stories that unfold around us daily.

The Power of Reading

Reading is much more than an activity involving words on a page. It is a process that teaches us to decipher the hidden meaning behind the words themselves. It teaches us to read between the lines and capture the details that would escape those who haven’t trained their gaze through reading. However, the power of reading goes far beyond the ability to interpret written words.

Reading gives us the power to read the world around us. It is a medium through which we can better understand the complex dynamics of society, politics, culture, and human nature itself. It allows us to explore different perspectives and connect with the experiences of people we might never encounter in our everyday lives.

In addition to revealing the world through reading, we also learn to recognize stories hidden beyond books. Every day, stories are unfolding around us, often going unnoticed. These stories can be disguised as facts, newspaper headlines, political speeches, or slogans, but also personal stories. Reading equips us with the tools to dig deeper, question what is presented to us, and seek the truth behind appearances.

Choosing What We Read

It’s important to emphasize that reading is not just a matter of quantity but also quality. We should carefully choose what we read. We should seek out engaging, dissenting, and liberating stories that challenge and inspire us. These stories become tools we can use to analyze and better understand the world.

Reading the world may seem like a daunting task, and indeed, it is. The world is a book with an ever-more intricate plot, a narrative that is constantly evolving. But just like a good book, the world offers a wealth of knowledge and adventures. Reading is the key to opening this book, immersing ourselves in its pages, and discovering the secrets and stories it contains.

In conclusion, reading is much more than a pastime; it is a means through which we gain the power to read the world and recognize the stories revealed around us. It is an act of discernment that helps us distinguish what is true from what is distorted or manipulated. Let us choose what we read carefully because every book we open brings us a little closer to understanding the complex novel that is the world.

What kind of books are you more interested in?

Why Returning to Past Habits Would Do Some Good to Our Environment

There are a lot of ways to incorporate responsible actions into your daily life. Climate crisis is one of the biggest challenges the humankind has to face. More and more people are trying to live responsibly and are also becoming aware that even small changes can have a positive impact on the future of our environment.

Time for change has come. Drastically changing your habits and sticking to them may be difficult. But this is the only way to let our planet flourish again (and the humankind too).

Here is the contribution by Smelly Socks and Garden Peas – Returning to Past Habits – to the series being run by the Climate Change Collective

The Climate Change Collective was born out of an exchange between Michelle over at Boomer Eco Crusader and Jamie Ad Stories. They both care deeply about the impact of human activity on our planet, as we all should, and wanted to find a way to keep the climate change message right at the forefront of all our thoughts.

Next to the useful and interesting suggestions of returning to past habits made by Smell, there is also something else you could try, upcycling.

What is upcycling

Upcycling is a creative, design and production process, of recovering existing materials and products that will be transformed into something of better quality or greater value than before. It is part of the recycling processes and is opposed to downcycling, generally perceived as a process that allows to extend the life of a product or material, to avoid waste and reuse, but obtaining something of less value.

With upcycling, on the other hand, the result obtained is something new and generally different, basically unique.

The concept of upcycling, also called creative reuse, is applied today at an industrial and eco-design level, as well as at an artisan and artistic level. Among the sectors that are most suitable for upcycling there are clothing and furniture.

Are you ready to return to past habits and try some upcycling?

Here you can read more about my ideas on the environment.

Human beings have only one great desire: to love and to be loved

It is clear to all that the world in which we live is not perfect, and that indeed there is still a long way to go to improve. Humanity has made incredible technological advances but many of us still live in fear and sorrow. But people have a great common desire: to love and be loved.

The world is plagued by war, diseases, famine, natural catastrophes, corruption, racism, inequality, and mankind has learned little from the thousands of years of civilization of which we are the heirs. We really live in difficult times. But the human being has a resource of inestimable value, love.

To achieve this, you should begin to celebrate life, its magnificent diversity, and make kindness and compassion your priorities. We are all very different, but the human heart needs to express itself by loving and being loved.

I hope to inspire you to offer your contribution to building a better world by opening your heart. Speak and listen to people with empathy, make a difference and never take anything for granted.

Opening your heart to others is not only about giving a precious gift, but it’s also about creating a bond, offering a positive experience, and building a bridge between you and a different world.

So, if you only have one thing to offer, offer an unforgettable experience to leave an unforgettable memory. Or offer forgiveness, or time and attention. And above all, be kind and compassionate.

Let me have your comments!