Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement, was born 113 years ago today. A friend of mine, Jim Forest a writer sent me two emails commemorating this birthday. Jim is an author of biography of Dorothy Day called “Love is the Measure” and will have a new book coming out about her in the spring called “All is Grace”. The first email was a number of quotes from Dorothy Day that can be found on this web page on www.nonviolentcow.org . The second email was The Writer’s Almanac by Garrison Keillor.
One quote from Dorothy Day stood out for me: “Turn off your radio. Put away your daily paper. Read one review of events a week and spend some time reading good books. They tell too of days of striving and of strife. They are of other centuries and also of our own. They make us realize that all times are perilous, that men live in a dangerous world, in peril constantly of losing or maiming soul and body. We get some sense of perspective reading such books. Renewed courage and faith and even joy to live.”
If you add TV and the internet to this quote, two media not significant in her day, the message hits home. I certainly am guilty of using the TV, magazines,internet and daily papers to consume time that would go to reading. In fact, today when I had two opportunities to read my book, waiting for a child and her mother on a dentist and doctor’s visit I felt good. However, the time I send watching TV, movies and sports, checking emails and internet sites is huge compared to the little time I spend reading books. Now I realize I am not alone in this behavior but would like it to change. I would like to follow Dorothy’s advice and turn off the TV and read a book.
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