In this modern era, as I pick books to read, I try to have both a print book and e-book I’m working through at all times. That lets me read a print book in the sunroom, or to be an example to the grandkids, and to have something to read on my phone in those odd moments of waiting (doctor, DMV, etc.). My current print book read is The Collected Letters of Dylan Thomas. I have about 100 pages to go in this 950 page book.
My current e-book read is The Fellowship: The Literary Lives of the Inklings. This book focuses on J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Owen Barfield, and Charles Williams. I’m currently on page 185 of 685. I would have loved to have this book in paperback, but I really need to reduce the number of books in this house, not increase them. So to the phone I go when I want to read this book.
It’s a good book but, to some extent, it’s a little over my head. The authors, Philip and Carol Zaleski, talk about the philosophy of these men (so far mainly Tolkien and Lewis, with a little of Barfield), and how they held language so high that they almost worshiped language. Okay, the authors don’t say that, but as I read the book, it seems like that to me.
Some of what the book discusses is philosophical ideas, or “schools”, such as realism vs. idealism. What was Lewis at different time in his early life, a realist or an idealist? What moved him from one to the other?
I want to scream “Shut up!” I don’t really care about their philosophy. Tell me about their friendship, their writings, their collaboration. Tell me about their meetings and how they encouraged one another to write more and better books.
No, I’m not a deep thinker into things like realism and idealism. I just try to live life to the full, to learn as much as I can (including stretching myself), to draw closer to God. Does knowing how the debate of realism vs. idealism in C.S. Lewis’s mind helped to shape his later years do any of those for me? It might stretch me to know more about those, but I doubt they will help me to be a better Christian, to win a lost world for Jesus.
I don’t think I’m a shallow thinker, however. But my own writing and conversation are, apparently, not the stuff of Lewis and Tolkien. I’m just concerned with improving the world, beginning with my little corner and working out. Am I an idealist or a realist? Maybe I’m just a pragmatist. What is practical for helping me achieve my goals? That’s what I want to concentrate on.
And what I will concentrate on. Let others deal with the ins and outs or realism vs. idealism, and any other ism you care to bring up. I won’t be dealing with them.
No, when I think about things, I’m just trying to live in a way where each day I’m a little better than the last. Toward that end, I try to start each day with three Bible verses. I say “try” because, despite good intentions, I sometimes get up and go about my business without quoting the verses. But I say them more often than not. Here are the verses.
“I will awaken the dawn.” Psalm 57:8b
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory far outweighs them all.” 2 Corinthians 4:17
“So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.” Luke 17:10
In future posts, I’ll discuss each of these verses: when I “discovered” them; why I chose them; what they mean to me. I won’t be doing those posts immediately, but spread out over the next month