“We read to know that we are not alone.” C.S. Lewis
Thank you C.S. Lewis for that lovely quote. Reading has been much more than that, but it does make us feel like we are not alone. Reading introduces us to new knowledge, but so much more; it introduces us to new worlds of pleasure. To characters and events in fiction stories, and facts about things we are interested in, knowledge and stories that seep into our worlds and hearts. An online friend mentioned her father reads a lot since his dementia, and it made me think more about the impact of dementia on my reading.
Reading has been one of the greatest pleasures of my life, and dementia is slowly stealing away the pleasure. The effort of reading has definitely removed some of the pure joy. I wrote some time ago that I read, then I forget, I read I take notes, and I still forget. The extra effort of reading is the need to use a dictionary constantly, to look up simple words in order to understand what it is I am reading. Blogging takes me a similar effort, but it also brings me joy, helps me recall my world, and brings the wider world into my living room.
” I blog to know that I am not alone.” Kate Swaffer 2012
I love your adaptation of the CS Lewis quote 🙂 I also EMAIL to know that I not alone!
I gave up reading anything other than simple magazines like That’s Life and the odd self-help book.
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Merry Christmas, Kate, and keep reading – you’ll always get something out of it even if you have to start again. And keep writing too. You provide hope and inspiration to a lot of people.
Vanessa
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Merry Christmas to you too Vanessa. I will keep reading as I love it, and writing too as it is such a big part of my life. Blessings to you and your family on this special day. Kate
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getting DH new glasses has brought back his love of reading, I never lost it. But there is comfort in sitting still and getting ‘lost’ in a story, I am sorry to read reading is difficult cos TV is just back ground noise and rarely interesting
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I still try, but keeping up with a story is near impossible, and putting a book down to start later, well, that simply emans starting again. Makes it cheap to give me a book (the same one) for Christmas the boys have said many times!!!! Re-reading the same book is still more enjoyable than most of the rubbish on TV.
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Dear Kate, I read your post everyday and just wanted to say THANK YOU from sharing all your thoughts, experiences, fears and joys with all of us who love you.
Merry Christmas and “you are not alone Kate”
Susana García
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Dear Susana,
Thank you for your continued support, and love.
It is thrilling to me to have you as a global friend, and I feel like we know each other. I do hope one day we actually meet. In the new year, I will write another story for your beautiful website.
Merry Christmas to you and your family, and I love how our contact makes me feel less alone.
Kate xox
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