Second Readings

As I read, I invariably mark up the book I am reading. If you likewise do that, think with me for a moment about what you are doing. You are reading the material once, then you go back and highlight the interesting or important part—that’s reading number two, which reinforces your first reading—and you do this with the idea in mind that you will someday revisit the book and at least review your original highlights because they were important to you. That will be reading number three.

I have found this practice to be very valuable for me as I study. It is also of value to me in more casual reading because it allows me to easily find and enjoy once again the highlighted material.

If we go through life and visit something that is interesting to us only once, I think we miss a great deal. I always learn something more on repeat readings. That is why religious people are encouraged to read the scriptures, for example, over and over because of the new insights that invariably come.

And the principle is shown to be sound in other areas of our life. What if we kissed our loved-one only once and let it go at that? Or what if we played golf at a good golf course only once, or took a vacation to a great get-away spot only once, or enjoyed the company of a new friend and then never saw him/her again?

I pity those who never get past a ‘first reading.’ I pity more those who never read at all. As I told my children when they were young: A person who does not read does not have much of an advantage over one who cannot read.

Reading lets you experience other ideas, other lives. Rereading keeps them with you.