Portable Magic

Author Stephen King describes books as “Unique Portable Magic.” In adjusting to my developing visual impairment, I have become a devotee of audio books. The other day I experienced some magic. I became so captivated by the book (How to Read a Book) I was listening to that I began taking notes! I was enchanted by the language usage: “the “gusts of years,” “the “child swooning into her mother’s arms.” Well, while I was swooning over her words, I also found some of her ideas to be stunning. One of her characters, for example, says, “It’s the little connections that makes the world go round.” I liked that.

Stifling an internal laugh, I had a sudden mental snapshot of my husband, Ken, during a grocery run with me to Vons. I could recall him smiling, and maybe even shaking his head a bit as I went about my little connections. On this day, as we strolled past the floral department where “Konnie with a K” called out to me; “How’s that red car, Donna?” (She witnessed me loading in groceries a while ago.) As we moved away, we could hear her regaling her coworker with stories about my Corvette. Soon the butcher wraps up the salmon filet while sharing about his weekend. At checkout it’s often our favorite clerk, Augie, who for sure will pull out his phone to show me the latest photos of his grand-girls, Eleanor and Katherine. Observing the interaction a man in the next aisle, said in a big voice, “this must be what it’s like to live in a small town?” A few of us turned, smiled and nodded “yes.” We have lots of micro relationships and little connections that go unnoticed.

The novel How to Read a Book by Monica Wood got me really thinking about these innocent little increments of small talk. There’s colossal power in their impact on our sense of well-being. I know that for me micro connections nurture my soul. 

During my doctoral studies in psychology, I came to appreciate the human need to be seen. Psychologists Claude Steiner and Eric Berne taught about our desperate need for “strokes”; positive affirmations. Steiner went so far as to hypothesize that many of us are “stroke starved.” We might not be so much starved as hungry to be “seen.”

Way back in the 1930’s Dale Carnagie really hit a nerve when he began teaching with his book, How to Win Friends and Influence People. His ideas were wildly popular. Can you believe that 30 million copies of that book have sold, and are still being sold? His big secret is that you can gain friends and influence others by acknowledging them in a positive way. One Minute Manager, a book for business managers, recommends frequent brief praising of employees and then, if needed, redirection. Fifteen million copies sold and they are still selling!

Stumbling upon this new author, Monica Wood, reminds me how important books have been to me across my life. It is not just my just for a good story, or the hunger for an epiphany about the human condition, but also to gain new information. Recently, I’ve been studying the American Revolution. (My 5th grader self could not appreciate that the American Revolution lasted eight long miserable years, nor how significant the French were to our ultimate success, and for sure I could not imagine the remarkable impact of the nineteen-year-old Marquis de Lafayette who joined the patriots’ cause using his own fortune!) 

Books have been my friends as far back as I can remember. It was in the 3rd grade that I recall my dad taking me to Martindale’s Used Book Store on 3rd street in Santa Monica. Back in a dark corner there was an entire shelf of Nancy Drew mysteries. My parents were teenagers when I was born and money was always tight. It was a big thrill for me to own a delicious hardcover Nancy Drew mystery. The more worn it was, just made it that much more special, proving that another child had also loved it.

By the time I was ten years old I was allowed to shelve books, comics, and magazines for sale in my grandfather’s pharmacy. I had free access to all those ideas. My bibliophile ways have never wavered. I even made a career out of books and teaching.

And now, two years into my journey with macular degeneration, I have discovered a silver lining to my visual issues with audio books. 

The industry has greatly changed since the days of Blockbuster type talking bookstores, where we rented a cassette for a week or two and played it on our commute to work. Today’s audio books are readily available through streaming and can be enjoyed on our cellphones or laptops. Audio books are more mobile and more accessible than ever with professional casts of narrators, sound effects and music. They are like “movies in our minds.” Mobile Magic.

In the past I managed a book or two a week, but nowadays I can enjoy three or even four in a week. My world has opened even more though audio books.

I feel inspired! There might even be another novel kicking around inside my brain. We will see. In the meantime, I want to encourage you to try audio books if you have not already. 

If you have any visual limitations, Braille Institute offers a huge range of free books on Bard. Our libraries offer free books through Libby, and of course Amazon has everything.

I am grateful to author, Carolyn Keene, for bringing me Nancy Drew, and for changing my life and warming my soul.

Did you get turned on to books as a child? What is your relationship with books? I love hearing what you have been thinking about. 

My best, donna

Recommendations:

Lafayette by Unger

My Dear Hamilton by Schuyler

America’s First Daughter by Dray and Kamoie