so I know a lot of big stories stories of superheroes that fly across oceans
of superheroes that fly across oceans
of superheroes that fly across oceans and break down buildings to save the
and break down buildings to save the
and break down buildings to save the people they love the most but at the end
people they love the most but at the end
people they love the most but at the end they still may not be able to save who
they still may not be able to save who
they still may not be able to save who they care about most I like to tell
they care about most I like to tell
they care about most I like to tell stories that are smaller but no less
stories that are smaller but no less
stories that are smaller but no less powerful as a kid I was labeled as shy
powerful as a kid I was labeled as shy
powerful as a kid I was labeled as shy anxious slow when other kids were
anxious slow when other kids were
anxious slow when other kids were outside playing in the Sun I sat alone
outside playing in the Sun I sat alone
outside playing in the Sun I sat alone in the classroom reading when something
in the classroom reading when something
in the classroom reading when something happened that day that made me nervous
happened that day that made me nervous
happened that day that made me nervous I would burst into tears I was a crime
I would burst into tears I was a crime
I would burst into tears I was a crime machine that set off whenever somebody
machine that set off whenever somebody
machine that set off whenever somebody rattled me and then one day my teacher
rattled me and then one day my teacher
rattled me and then one day my teacher sent my mom down in her classroom and
sent my mom down in her classroom and
sent my mom down in her classroom and told her then I needed to be put into
told her then I needed to be put into
told her then I needed to be put into special needs education because of the
special needs education because of the
special needs education because of the fact that I cried every day and was
fact that I cried every day and was
fact that I cried every day and was anti-social I didn’t know the word for
anti-social I didn’t know the word for
anti-social I didn’t know the word for that really was introvert it’s when you
that really was introvert it’s when you
that really was introvert it’s when you think there’s something wrong with you
think there’s something wrong with you
think there’s something wrong with you the world becomes terrifying and in
the world becomes terrifying and in
the world becomes terrifying and in moments like these throughout my
moments like these throughout my
moments like these throughout my childhood reading fiction was the only
childhood reading fiction was the only
childhood reading fiction was the only thing that filled me with enough fire
thing that filled me with enough fire
thing that filled me with enough fire with enough hope with condition that
with enough hope with condition that
with enough hope with condition that someday I would be able to use my voice
someday I would be able to use my voice
someday I would be able to use my voice to give the silent voices out there a
to give the silent voices out there a
to give the silent voices out there a chance to be heard because I was once
chance to be heard because I was once
chance to be heard because I was once that silent voice these stories they
that silent voice these stories they
that silent voice these stories they were not only an anchor and one of the
were not only an anchor and one of the
were not only an anchor and one of the hardest moments in my life but they were
hardest moments in my life but they were
hardest moments in my life but they were a retelling of all that I’ve overcome
a retelling of all that I’ve overcome
a retelling of all that I’ve overcome one of my favorite authors Cassandra
one of my favorite authors Cassandra
one of my favorite authors Cassandra Clare said if you only believe facts and
Clare said if you only believe facts and
Clare said if you only believe facts and forget stories your brain will live but
forget stories your brain will live but
forget stories your brain will live but your heart will die you never know who
your heart will die you never know who
your heart will die you never know who is going to meet that story that escaped
is going to meet that story that escaped
is going to meet that story that escaped from the Intolerable somewhere out there
from the Intolerable somewhere out there
from the Intolerable somewhere out there is someone who
is someone who
is someone who your story someone who without your
your story someone who without your
your story someone who without your story would be a different person
story would be a different person
story would be a different person someone who with your story may gain
someone who with your story may gain
someone who with your story may gain hope wisdom kindness and comfort so read
hope wisdom kindness and comfort so read
hope wisdom kindness and comfort so read stories tell stories share stories there
stories tell stories share stories there
stories tell stories share stories there is a truth that goes far beyond but we
is a truth that goes far beyond but we
is a truth that goes far beyond but we are told today to believe in yes fiction
are told today to believe in yes fiction
are told today to believe in yes fiction is composed of beautiful lives but
is composed of beautiful lives but
is composed of beautiful lives but because you believed in it
because you believed in it
because you believed in it you found something true about yourself
you found something true about yourself
you found something true about yourself no reading the Harry Potter series won’t
no reading the Harry Potter series won’t
no reading the Harry Potter series won’t get you into the top universities of the
get you into the top universities of the
get you into the top universities of the world but it will teach you to love
world but it will teach you to love
world but it will teach you to love boards to agonize over sentences to pay
boards to agonize over sentences to pay
boards to agonize over sentences to pay attention to the world I know many
attention to the world I know many
attention to the world I know many people who can read a novel and then go
people who can read a novel and then go
people who can read a novel and then go about their everyday lives without that
about their everyday lives without that
about their everyday lives without that fictional world becoming part of their
fictional world becoming part of their
fictional world becoming part of their own I can’t I hear all the time it’s
own I can’t I hear all the time it’s
own I can’t I hear all the time it’s just a book why don’t you pay attention
just a book why don’t you pay attention
just a book why don’t you pay attention to the things that are real why do you
to the things that are real why do you
to the things that are real why do you feel so emotional about things that
feel so emotional about things that
feel so emotional about things that don’t exist but a book is never just a
don’t exist but a book is never just a
don’t exist but a book is never just a book we pay attention to the things that
book we pay attention to the things that
book we pay attention to the things that exist in storybook worlds because
exist in storybook worlds because
exist in storybook worlds because reading fiction builds our capacity to
reading fiction builds our capacity to
reading fiction builds our capacity to empathize empathy is the ability to
empathize empathy is the ability to
empathize empathy is the ability to identify so intimately with another
identify so intimately with another
identify so intimately with another person’s emotions that you feel as if
person’s emotions that you feel as if
person’s emotions that you feel as if you’re in their skin empathy as I
you’re in their skin empathy as I
you’re in their skin empathy as I learned throughout my personal project
learned throughout my personal project
learned throughout my personal project is not something that can be taught
is not something that can be taught
is not something that can be taught empathy is something that is inspired
empathy is something that is inspired
empathy is something that is inspired its awakened in the soul and it allows
its awakened in the soul and it allows
its awakened in the soul and it allows us to function more than just sub sub
us to function more than just sub sub
us to function more than just sub sub sets in dividuals empathy in the world
sets in dividuals empathy in the world
sets in dividuals empathy in the world we live in today where we wake up to
we live in today where we wake up to
we live in today where we wake up to headlines of school shootings of acid
headlines of school shootings of acid
headlines of school shootings of acid thrown in the faces of child brides of
thrown in the faces of child brides of
thrown in the faces of child brides of kids who and your abuse from their
kids who and your abuse from their
kids who and your abuse from their parents every single day is more
parents every single day is more
parents every single day is more important than ever when reading prose
important than ever when reading prose
important than ever when reading prose fiction you’re looking at a world
fiction you’re looking at a world
fiction you’re looking at a world through other eyes you get to feel
through other eyes you get to feel
through other eyes you get to feel things to visit places and worlds that
things to visit places and worlds that
things to visit places and worlds that you would never otherwise know the point
you would never otherwise know the point
you would never otherwise know the point of reading to cultivate empathy is not
of reading to cultivate empathy is not
of reading to cultivate empathy is not to make us better it’s to make us human
to make us better it’s to make us human
to make us better it’s to make us human these stories will haunt you forever
these stories will haunt you forever
these stories will haunt you forever someday you will be reading a book and
someday you will be reading a book and
someday you will be reading a book and there will be something in there that
there will be something in there that
there will be something in there that you will want to know more about you
you will want to know more about you
you will want to know more about you will be sobbing at 2:00 a.m. when one of
will be sobbing at 2:00 a.m. when one of
will be sobbing at 2:00 a.m. when one of your favorite character dies your blood
your favorite character dies your blood
your favorite character dies your blood will boil at the injustice in the novel
will boil at the injustice in the novel
will boil at the injustice in the novel you will learn to care you will fall in
you will learn to care you will fall in
you will learn to care you will fall in love with characters that you wish were
love with characters that you wish were
love with characters that you wish were real but in that moment they were your
real but in that moment they were your
real but in that moment they were your personal universe will begin to expand
personal universe will begin to expand
personal universe will begin to expand characters aren’t merely squiggles on a
characters aren’t merely squiggles on a
characters aren’t merely squiggles on a page they’re a given form and life as
page they’re a given form and life as
page they’re a given form and life as much as anyone else our reactions might
much as anyone else our reactions might
much as anyone else our reactions might be less by degrees but not different in
be less by degrees but not different in
be less by degrees but not different in terms of kind when you return to your
terms of kind when you return to your
terms of kind when you return to your own world you’re going to be changed you
own world you’re going to be changed you
own world you’re going to be changed you take back with you weapons and armor you
take back with you weapons and armor you
take back with you weapons and armor you find yourself never being able to be
find yourself never being able to be
find yourself never being able to be entirely content with the world that you
entirely content with the world that you
entirely content with the world that you grew up in but do not be mistaken
grew up in but do not be mistaken
grew up in but do not be mistaken discontent is a good thing it pushes us
discontent is a good thing it pushes us
discontent is a good thing it pushes us to think about how we can how we can
to think about how we can how we can
to think about how we can how we can improve and modify our world to leave it
improve and modify our world to leave it
improve and modify our world to leave it better healthier stronger for our next
better healthier stronger for our next
better healthier stronger for our next generation so read books that affect you
generation so read books that affect you
generation so read books that affect you like disasters books that wound and stab
like disasters books that wound and stab
like disasters books that wound and stab you read fiction that makes you grieve
you read fiction that makes you grieve
you read fiction that makes you grieve deeply like the death of someone you
deeply like the death of someone you
deeply like the death of someone you loved more than yourself read because it
loved more than yourself read because it
loved more than yourself read because it teaches us to see love in people it’s
teaches us to see love in people it’s
teaches us to see love in people it’s time to care for everyone to care that
time to care for everyone to care that
time to care for everyone to care that means we need to start out by educating
means we need to start out by educating
means we need to start out by educating ourselves by understanding each other by
ourselves by understanding each other by
ourselves by understanding each other by searching deep for that human connection
searching deep for that human connection
searching deep for that human connection not just by saying I’m sorry for your
not just by saying I’m sorry for your
not just by saying I’m sorry for your loss
loss
loss I feel bad for you but to stand up get
I feel bad for you but to stand up get
I feel bad for you but to stand up get up speak up don’t just whisper shout
up speak up don’t just whisper shout
up speak up don’t just whisper shout don’t just be a silent witness fight
don’t just be a silent witness fight
don’t just be a silent witness fight even if you don’t want to fight for
even if you don’t want to fight for
even if you don’t want to fight for yourself fight her others there is
yourself fight her others there is
yourself fight her others there is always someone left to fight for the
always someone left to fight for the
always someone left to fight for the world maybe a greeting ground for
world maybe a greeting ground for
world maybe a greeting ground for cynicism and contempt but does but that
cynicism and contempt but does but that
cynicism and contempt but does but that does not mean that
does not mean that
does not mean that we should relinquish our attempts to
we should relinquish our attempts to
we should relinquish our attempts to love ourselves to love others to
love ourselves to love others to
love ourselves to love others to celebrate this magical quality of our
celebrate this magical quality of our
celebrate this magical quality of our collective consciousness called love and
collective consciousness called love and
collective consciousness called love and that starts out by teaching our youngest
that starts out by teaching our youngest
that starts out by teaching our youngest generation what it means to have empathy
generation what it means to have empathy
generation what it means to have empathy what it means to care what it means to
what it means to care what it means to
what it means to care what it means to love and the best way I believe to do
love and the best way I believe to do
love and the best way I believe to do that is to teach them to love reading
that is to teach them to love reading
that is to teach them to love reading tell them that they can be the Sun that
tell them that they can be the Sun that
tell them that they can be the Sun that they are Suns burning bright in the sky
they are Suns burning bright in the sky
they are Suns burning bright in the sky rattling the Stars we are all sons and
rattling the Stars we are all sons and
rattling the Stars we are all sons and it’s time to rise thank you
”
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