Daily Inspiration 9-5-13

"'Tis the good reader

that makes the good book."

 

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

What a profound quote and at the same time so incredibly simple a concept. What exactly is the value of a book? What is the value of a good book? What is the value of a book written by a famous author? What is the value of a book written by an unknown author? What is the value of an author?

I own a couple thousand books. What value are they? Perhaps at one recent point in time they were worth more than today with the Kindle and Nook explosion. Most are hard cover, but what value is a hard cover versus a soft cover?

Last year, I published a book. The first edition was in soft cover. It was a summary of things I learned in the commercial truck market involved with auto dealers who are either in the commercial truck market or want to be. What value is that book?

Speaking of my book, it could potentially be worth millions. Not to me, but to the dealer, general manager or astute commercial truck manager who reads it, takes it to heart and applies it to their operation. The ideas in it made the dealers I worked for a similar amount of profit, and nearly a billion extra in gross sales. Yet, it has zero value unread, doesn't it?

I've read a lot of John Grisham books and I find zero value in the ones I haven't read.

I have a large library of business books that have no value except for a colorful background in my office had I not read them. If I gave them all away, (and I've given about half of them away) whatever value they had for me is not transferred to the receiver unless they choose to commit to read them as I did.

I have known people, some intimately, who could have been changed, renewed, and transformed by some of the books on my shelves. I know this, because I have been changed, renewed, and transformed. Yet, most of these people were not the least bit interested in reading any of them Instead, they poo-pooed them as trash, or ignored them completely. So be it. I'm not in control of their behavior or choices.

Whatever is out there that can be of help is insignificant or has zero value to those who aren't interested in finding out, but rather would hold on to what they have no matter how unhappy it might make them.

Does this make sense? It is only because we all create our own reality and our own reality is created by choices we make.


It's All Good, Isn't It? Truly, It Really Doesn't Matter If Others Ever Listen To Us, Or Read The Books. All We Really Have The Power To Do Is Choose Them Ourselves.

Spread Some Joy Today--Keep on choosing. Keep choosing joy. Keep sharing that which is you in joy and whatever effect this has or doesn't have on others will just have to do. Do it always for yourself to please yourself and if someone else is touched, wonderful. You still have joy, and that is all that really matters.