The Wisdom of Martin Buber

I decided to learn a little more about Martin Buber. His writing is more difficult to understand than I care to grasp at this point, but I found a couple of quotes worth keeping and responding to.

"I write [books] as a snake sheds its skins, because I must. But they are not the most important part of my life."
-Martin Buber

I thought this was an incredibly beautiful way to consider writing. Most writers write from their experiences, but it seems that it would be impossible to spend so much time writing if you were always out experiencing something. Buber's statement essentially says, what I write is very much a part of who I am; I have to discard these thoughts; I don't wish to drag them along with me as I grow past them. How cool! Writing, then, is a necessity, directly out of the overflow of a life being lived. Though not much of a writer myself, I too find that there is nothing significant to write about if I have not lately experienced anything of significance.

"I knew nothing of books when I came forth from the womb of my mother, and I shall die without books, with another human hand in my own. I do, indeed, close my door at times and surrender myself to a book, but only because I can open the door again and see a human being looking at me."
-Martin Buber

I spend far too much time reading. I think it is the consequence of being a good student, but I am probably wrong. It may be the consequence of being afraid. Too afraid of doing. Too afraid of experiencing. But I am curious. I want to learn. I learn from books. I don't always have the time, opportunities, or resources to do the things I wish I could. So I read.

But Martin Buber is absolutely right. I will not die with a book in hand (I hope); I will die with another human hand in mine. You do not get life from a book. You get life from living, from doing. Yes, there is value to be found in books, but they are not alive. The shift from book to human as through conversation or a simple change of setting is so much more life-giving than reading something and letting that be that. What a tragic end.

My boyfriend recently got onto me about reading. He wants more of me and less of me with my nose in a book. I feel like that is what I have to do at this point in my life, and that is sad. It is pitiful. My heart's desire is not to sit and read all the time, although I do enjoy it. I want to get out and live. I want to explore the world. Get dirty. Take risks. I just have to learn to put books down. Some things can only be learned by doing.