28. After six months in another country,
Patrick was saved by his captor’s
nosey neighbor. She placed an
anonymous phone call to the police,
voicing her suspicions.
41. Popular answer:
Patrick
Wisdom comes with knowledge and experience, even
if said wisdom is never used. Patrick certainly
experienced more than Lance.
42. Sci-fi Question:
If a mad scientist somehow swapped the
boys’ memories, who would be wiser?
43. Popular answer:
Lance
Even though Lance never experienced any of Patrick’s
ordeals personally, he would remember them as if they
were his own. On the other hand, Patrick would simply
wonder where his scars came from.)
44. In other words, if we could somehow place other
people’s knowledge and experiences inside our
brains, we would become smarter and wiser.
45. If we understand this, we should also understand
why readers are typically smarter and wiser than
nonreaders.
46. When we read, we can subject ourselves to
anything within the safety of our home.
47. When we read, we can visit anyplace without
ever leaving a chair. In most cases, we’d know
more about the place than the people who
actually live there.
48. When we read, we can walk a mile in other
people’s shoes without untying our own laces.
49. When we read, we can experience falling in
love without ever dating.
50. When we read, we can experience victory and
defeat without sweating.
57. “I’m so busy that I can’t afford not to
exercise.” —Zig Ziglar (in his sixties)
In other words, the more we require from our mind
and body, the more fit our mind and body have to be.
58. This is similar to why a pizza deliverer
needs more frequent tune-ups.
59. We can start the journey toward a
stronger, sharper, and wiser mind today.
61. If we haven’t read in a while, we
shouldn’t start with a marathon.
62. We should start with books on our skill level
and interest, no matter what that may be.
63. In time, we’ll grow stronger and faster,
and reading will cease to be the
“exercise” it used to be.
64. We have time to exercise if we make it a
part of our lives.
Take the stairs. (It’s an easy way to elevate your fitness.)
Speed walk. (We’re pressed for time, right?)
Do jumping jacks. (Jump into a healthier lifestyle.)
Do squats and lunges. (Hold those poses in the shower.)
Do push ups. (It doesn’t take long. “Drop and give me 20!”)
Note: There’s no equipment required because our
body is all we need, and it’s always with us.
65. So we should keep a book with us wherever we
go, and be amazed at the reading opportunities.
Waiting at the doctor’s office
Waiting for our car to be serviced
Waiting for a train to go by
Waiting for our turn in line
Waiting for our professor to arrive
Waiting for our ride to show
Waiting for an operator who has us on hold
Waiting for TV commercials to end
Waiting for a pot to boil
Waiting to fall asleep at night
66. So let’s get those pages turning!
The time to become an avid reader was yesterday. And
remember, our excuses are myths.