Read Aloud

Now as I’m re-reading Walker Percy’s “The Moviegoer” I’m getting some very different impression than when my husband read it aloud to me.  It is a real discipline to listen and to hear and I have to admit that my mind is prone to wander.  However, even when I was paying close attention I interpreted some situations very differently when I listened.  Now, as I take more time to look at the words and the context I feel that I am getting a much better understanding, but is this true?

For so long the lay members of the church only had access to the spoken word and generations only had access to spoken stories.  Now seemingly everyone can read seemingly everything for themselves.  I love to read a good book by myself.  Although it usually is an immense part of the pleasure that I am alone there are times when reading a book can be a lonely experience.  There is something community binding about the gospel reading and the fireside tale.  It whisks a group of people away from “normal” into something all together new.