When We read...

Our world expands!

When I left Chile, eons ago, I left everything behind: family, friends, my guitar, notebooks after notebooks of drawings, poems I wrote, and much more ( I used to draw and write a lot).

Then again, you never leave everything behind when you carry with you pictures that evoke many precious memories and books that remind you of what you have learned.

My two suitcases were light in weight, and yet packed with pages of wisdom and knowledge. When I unpacked my suitcases upon my arrival to Dominican Republic, my first home away from home, I dug out some of what, today, are few of my most priceless possessions: an English-Spanish dictionary I got in 8th grade; my Spanish-only dictionary; a book by Frederich Nietzsche (this book was a requirement for my 9th grade philosophy class taught by a nun. Considering the content of this book my nun teacher was amazing! She was more concerned about teaching us critical thinking than dogma.) Also, a book by laureate chilean author Pablo Neruda, 100 love Sonnets and 20 love poems that was a gift from my dear brother; and another book that, at the tender age of fourteen left a great impression on me, The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm. When I moved to the United States and I learned how to speak English, I bought the English version of this book, small in size yet packed of life transforming insights. Translations are never accurate and reading this book in both languages, English and Spanish, provided me with a greater understanding of its profound and beautiful content. I have read this book many times and I always discover a new little jewel of wisdom.

As time has passed, new books have arrived and many amazing authors have grabbed my heart. Here it is one of them, Alain de Bottom, a brilliant, so witty and funny modern philosopher and all around fabulous guy, author of many great books including, The course of Love. I think you will appreciate him. I love, love, love this guy!