The Books You Read and the People You Meet

I lived for forty years not liking to read or meeting new people. For forty years I wasted opportunities to explore the world and share in the experiences of others. Consider for a moment all of the words of wisdom and stories of excitement I missed that are found in the pages of books and in sharing life with people.

Somewhere in my forties I heard someone speak and I believe it was Charlie "Tremendous" Jones say, "In ten years you will the same person you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read."  I began to read good positive books, ones on real life stories, one about history and even some fiction. I began to grow from the new things I read about. Some of the books on positive thinking talked about breaking out of the chains of loneness and meet new people. As I began to let the walls down and allow people to get to know me I found that some of them actually liked who I was despite the fact that I was a mess.

Now in just a few days I will celebrate my 60th birthday and I can honestly say I have lived more in the past ten years because I have read books and allowed people to know me and I have gotten to know them than I did the prior 50 years. I know that because of the books I have read and the people I have met I am a more balanced person.

So I want to encourage you to go to both new and used book stores and browse the shelves and find one book that speaks to you. Within the pages of a book you can find examples of people who have experienced what you are or who have the same type of dream you have and you can be encouraged. I also encourage you to find people who will accept you where you are and are willing to help you move forward. 

Remember ten years from now you will be the same person you are except for the books you read and the people you meet.