Audiobooks

I'm a huge fan of audiobooks.

They're hands free and effortless, yet thought provoking, educational and trains the spirit and mind.

Still, I also love paper books. The printed paper, the texture of the paper, the smell of paper and ink: call me old all you want. Paper books have their appeal.

Another appeal of paper books is the pause we can take or thought trail we can go off on. We can pause, ponder and even wonder off and get lost in our thoughts. At times, we can even go off on a tangent and strat our own project. That page we left will be there waiting for our return.

Contrarily, an audiobook continues to play in our sleep and in the midst of our journey in our thoughts. When a person speaks, the two voices mingle and cancel each other out. At times, the intrusion of words of an audiobook into my mind, interruption by a thrilling scene that ceases my thought, when my attention must be elsewhere, seems a bit like a mind rape. That's too violent of a word to describe sounds that travel a story to the ear, then penetrate the brain and provoke thoughts and emotions. But my thought can get intetwined with the stroty of the audiobook, my dreams entangled with the continuous intrusion of the fictional novel, overriding my memories or even my thought organization in my sleep. The quality of sleep can be changed from the continuous sound and fractioned consciousness and focus. The drive to wake up to listen to the thrilling story, even during a much necessary nap, may perhaps hinder rest at times.

One only needs to turn off the device. It's no longer a button away, not even a touch away. We need only to mutter "hey XYZ stop audiobook" and the sound will stop. Yet even this can be too much of an effort in our sleep or that one motion a slight interference when a visitor quickly gives a vital instruction or asks an important question.

At times, the false sense of security from being "productive" by listening to a novel, listening to educational content, listening to a christian narration gives us reassurance and peace. This peace of mind can allow us to fall asleep after an insomniac night or a tortuous series of events. This can encourage rest, while not permitting it in a true sense, and further promoting "fast living" that's seemingly productive, yet potentially self-destructive.

I ask, therefore. 

When and how do you use audiobooks? 

Are you for them, or against them?

Under what circumstances can we utilize audiobooks in the safest and most meaningful way?

Still, for a bedridden individual with many limitations, audiobooks are a must. When even flipping a page is too much physical effort the body can't tolerate, audiobooks are practically the only means for reading in private. This form of reading is also a necessity to form a connection with the outside world beyond my own thoughts.

It's a blessing to have many thoughts and enjoy pondering upon intriguing thoughts and topics. It's, however, a tragedy to get lost in a thick misty forest of melancholy, doubts and regrets that accompany some thoughts.

Fiction can rescue a soul from drowning in unnecessary or tormenting thoughts or memories.

The past is the past, fiction is fiction. 

Let us all live in the present and enjoy what we do have.

We are blessed.

We have much more than we acknowledge at times.

Let us all count our blessings.

Our baggage is a variation of what every human has.

Our deep dark secrets aren't as deep or dark or seldom as we may let ourselves believe.

Life is beautiful.

Books enlighten us by showing us a whole new world, but they also help shed light on our blessings. Let us utilize their benefits to their full.

Reading is great, having someone read for us is marvelous.

Let us all use each in the best manner possible 😉

Have a blessed wonderful day 😊😉😄🌞👍