The Question In The Answer: A Reflection on Books

Awhile back I blogged about Raphael McManus’ book Soul Cravings. It is a quick read and has jumped to the top of my list as favorites. I finished it about two months ago and have recently picked it back up. No good book should ever be considered read [finished]. It is just a process that continues as you realize more meaning.

I don’t think the type of book matters. I’ve read dictionaries (yes, I’m lame), Spirituality/Philosophy books, sci-fi, short story collections, and novels. If they were good, it influenced me. It was able to resonate within me.

The Question

It is not so much that it gave me the answer to life. Most of the time, I never even found an answer to anything. It is about the question. Every excellent book has something to say. There is an issue that the author is trying to understand. Some, like self-help authors, claim that they have it all figured out and others are just bringing up the issue because they are in need of help.

I’ve heard it many times that sometimes the question is more important than the answer. It sounded good so I would always agree, but it really sounded more like something from a fortune cookie. Why is it that the questions are so important? Recently, in a book that I re-read it occurred to me. It allows you to undestand the underlying issue or motivation in a different light.

Our Perspectives

I don’t think the reason why we need to continuously re-read a book has much to do with the actual book. Of course there are things that we might have missed, but it has to do with our own perspectives. Everyday our lives changes. Sometimes the change is drastic, but most of the time it is a slight subtle shift through the years. You cannot say that you have the exact same outlook on life today as you did yesterday.

Connect The Dots

When we read a book, the book resonates in our lives. We reflect on the issue from our current perspective. There is a simple answer to the question the book asks us. Once the book is read again in a month, we expand or change our answer. Eventually, there comes a point where we are more concerned about the question than giving an answer. Finally, as our perspective continues to shift, we realize that we have been asking the wrong question.

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