Edited by Jim McCrory, Thursday, 27 Mar 2025, 12:10
“The more things that come into your head, the more room there is for others.”
Image generated with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot
I must have been eight when the janitor at St Anthony's in Govan brought in a big box of brand new books. The teacher handed us all a copy and I sat and got lost in the pages of mine. Many of the pupils got bored with theirs and asked for a change. "Look at McCrory" the teacher said, "He is enjoying his." The truth is, it was boring, but I got on with it and persevered. And if the truth were told, it was the only compliment I ever got from a teacher.
In
Selma Lagerlöf's The Wonderful Adventures of Nils, a profound yet
straightforward insight is introduced: “The more things that come into your
head, the more room there is for others.” This notion implies that the mind,
unlike any physical space, expands with its contents. It grows ever vaster with
each new thought, idea, or dream. Reflecting on this concept, I recognize its
resonance in my experiences, especially in my interactions with others—both
enriching encounters with individuals who read and think deeply.
My
journey through life has often meandered along paths lined with books, through
landscapes rich with paragraphs and ripe with rhetoric. Along these paths, I
have met kindred spirits—people whose minds, like mine, seem to thrive on the
endless nourishment of words and ideas. There is a palpable depth in
conversations with these individuals, a shared understanding that reaches
beyond the spoken word, facilitated by our mutual expeditions through
literature.
This
literary journey does more than just broaden our knowledge; it enhances our
capacity for empathy. Like the trees I observe from my window in
winter—prepared and eager for the abundance of spring—our minds, fertilized by
myriad narratives and perspectives, grow branches and forge connections. Each
book, each story, adds a layer of understanding, enabling us to relate more
profoundly to others' feelings and experiences.
Moreover,
empathy—a quality deeply tied to our ability to understand and share the
feelings of another—seems enhanced by reading. Literature
serves as a rehearsal space for empathy, inviting us into the minds and lives
of others, promoting understanding across boundaries of time, culture, and
circumstance. Without this engagement, my capacity to empathize would be stunted.
Reflecting
on Lagerlof's wisdom, the more we fill our minds with thoughts, ideas, and
emotions, the more expansive they become—not crowded, but enriched and
deepened. Those who abstain from reading deny themselves not just the knowledge
and entertainment books hold but also the chance to expand their cognitive and
emotional capacities.
As
I continue to navigate a world populated with both types of individuals—those
open to the endless possibilities of thought and those closed off—I strive to
advocate for the value of reading. Not just as a source of information, but as
a vital exercise in building bridges between minds. My hope is that more people
will discover the joy and value of reading, not only for their enrichment but
for the greater empathy and understanding it fosters within our communities.
Thus, my journey,
much like that of young Nils, remains an inward as much as an outward
adventure—an endless exploration where the more I discover, the more I realize
how crucial it is to encourage others to open the books, open their minds, and
by doing so, open
Once I Read a Book and Never Stopped
“The more things that come into your head, the more room there is for others.”
Image generated with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot
I must have been eight when the janitor at St Anthony's in Govan brought in a big box of brand new books. The teacher handed us all a copy and I sat and got lost in the pages of mine. Many of the pupils got bored with theirs and asked for a change. "Look at McCrory" the teacher said, "He is enjoying his." The truth is, it was boring, but I got on with it and persevered. And if the truth were told, it was the only compliment I ever got from a teacher.
In Selma Lagerlöf's The Wonderful Adventures of Nils, a profound yet straightforward insight is introduced: “The more things that come into your head, the more room there is for others.” This notion implies that the mind, unlike any physical space, expands with its contents. It grows ever vaster with each new thought, idea, or dream. Reflecting on this concept, I recognize its resonance in my experiences, especially in my interactions with others—both enriching encounters with individuals who read and think deeply.
My journey through life has often meandered along paths lined with books, through landscapes rich with paragraphs and ripe with rhetoric. Along these paths, I have met kindred spirits—people whose minds, like mine, seem to thrive on the endless nourishment of words and ideas. There is a palpable depth in conversations with these individuals, a shared understanding that reaches beyond the spoken word, facilitated by our mutual expeditions through literature.
This literary journey does more than just broaden our knowledge; it enhances our capacity for empathy. Like the trees I observe from my window in winter—prepared and eager for the abundance of spring—our minds, fertilized by myriad narratives and perspectives, grow branches and forge connections. Each book, each story, adds a layer of understanding, enabling us to relate more profoundly to others' feelings and experiences.
Moreover, empathy—a quality deeply tied to our ability to understand and share the feelings of another—seems enhanced by reading. Literature serves as a rehearsal space for empathy, inviting us into the minds and lives of others, promoting understanding across boundaries of time, culture, and circumstance. Without this engagement, my capacity to empathize would be stunted.
Reflecting on Lagerlof's wisdom, the more we fill our minds with thoughts, ideas, and emotions, the more expansive they become—not crowded, but enriched and deepened. Those who abstain from reading deny themselves not just the knowledge and entertainment books hold but also the chance to expand their cognitive and emotional capacities.
As I continue to navigate a world populated with both types of individuals—those open to the endless possibilities of thought and those closed off—I strive to advocate for the value of reading. Not just as a source of information, but as a vital exercise in building bridges between minds. My hope is that more people will discover the joy and value of reading, not only for their enrichment but for the greater empathy and understanding it fosters within our communities.
Thus, my journey, much like that of young Nils, remains an inward as much as an outward adventure—an endless exploration where the more I discover, the more I realize how crucial it is to encourage others to open the books, open their minds, and by doing so, open