Beauty in Books, an education revelation

"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not the pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid"

-Northanger Abbey

From childhood, most of my cherished memories were really imaginings, created by a world of literature. After about third grade I had immersed myself in the written word. And never looked back. My love for good literature has only grown, a good book is worth more than diamonds! At least in the eyes of an avid reader. Long ago Beauty and the Beast became my favorite Disney movie.... the heroine reads, and how does beast win her heart? By giving her a library! Much better than riches or jewels.
                                                    

My love of books has had such an impact upon my life. The words of beloved characters entwined in my heart. I declared when I met a dear friend of mine " We are kindred spirits!" and I was right. I must reread all my favorite classics and relive again the joys found in Jane Austen, Alexander Dumas,Margaret Mitchell, LM Montgomery, Laura Ingalls Wilder... to name but a few. How sorry I am for those who haven't discovered the joys and sorrows found in your average library!

If I give my children nothing but my love, a love for Jesus, and love for literature it will have been enough. 

 It is a great sorrow that our society continues to grow more and more illiterate. That once, titles like "Little Women" were aimed at young adults... and now have been replaced by such grand works as "The Hunger Games".  Although it certainly inspires my own writing. For certainly if such drivel as that can get published I should have high hopes! 

Self education really is the only education. For if you are not educating yourself you really aren't learning at all. In fact, you are actively choosing to be ignorant. If only all young people learned this one small fact. Or if only our normal education system didn't actually try to squash a love for books. I fear the future ... a generation of texters instead of readers. An entire generation of people who are far more comfortable behind a computer screen than sitting across a table. Conversation that is so far removed from real humanity it holds no meaning at all. They tweet, they facebook, they have their own YouTube channels. But they are ignorant, illiterate, and loveless.

Communication abounds in our society! Faster, more concise, more convenient communication than ever before. But, I fear, it becomes more meaningless, more inhuman, more empty. Information and education are more readily available than ever! Even my "sheltered" homeschooled children know if you have a question "Just Google it" and the magic Google God will supply the answer.  Yet ignorance and illiteracy are at an all time high. The world at your fingertips....but no desire to learn. Books, literature,information of every kind available on demand basically for free. However it is lost and useless upon a generation that worships entertainment and entertainers.

I will let you in on a little secret. Shhhhhhhh. I am not educated. Not "formally" anyhow. I have taken zero college classes. I have no degree... of any kind. Not even a GED.  -crickets-


 GASP! And I choose to educate my children?!  What!? What will people say?! What will people think?! How will they survive?! 

Ok.OK. Now stop and remember that people used to be educated.... with books. That education is not summed up in any degree, there are many fools with degrees. That a piece of paper never defines who you are or what you are. I have met many ignorant people with a high school diploma, and do you really think that half of those college students are really educated? Education doesn't take place in a building from a teacher. 

Original Webster definition of education :

EDUCA'TION, n. [L. educatio. ] The bringing up, as of a child, instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction

New definition :

: the action or process of teaching someone especially in a school, college, or university

: the knowledge, skill, and understanding that you get from attending a school, college, or university

Notice a difference? So by the new standard definition of education I have one not at all.

 But this allows someone else to define you, someone else to decide how educated you are. In a world where information and education are available to everyone, we have now packaged it with a price and a definition that you must attain in order to have the status of "educated". Student loans, private schools, certifications.... I am not saying that some of these things dont have a place. But I am saying you may attain all those things and still be less educated than I.

 Most people are quite taken aback at my level of education. I mean ... I DID complete freshman year in high school, from a small school, in a low income area.So you know... if you find my opinions offensive, illogical, or just plain incompetent I have now given you reason to completely ignore me.

 I quit school for a number of reasons, none of which was because I didn't desire more education. They were good reasons let me assure you. Not everyone has the opportunity to pursue higher education. I am speaking for lots of people here, not myself only. But I am thankful! I have had the opportunity to pursue my own education in the subjects that interest me and help me to improve myself and my position in life. I may have continued in school believing the lie that a degree will qualify me as "educated". Now I know better.

I will tell you one more little secret. All I did to educate myself was.... Read. Ahhhhhhh. I could now pursue a "higher education" if I so desired. But I have no need to prove to others that I have a degree. I have no desire to accumulate student loans and debts to conform to societies definition of education. I am confident and content to remain as I am... just your average southern gal with a love of books. And chickens.