A love of books, of holding a book, turning its pages, looking at

“A love of books, of holding a book, turning its pages, looking at its pictures, and living its fascinating stories goes hand-in-hand with a love of learning.” — Laura Bush

In this gentle yet profound reflection, Laura Bush, herself a lifelong reader, teacher, and advocate for literacy, captures the sacred bond between reading and learning — a bond as ancient as civilization itself. Her words remind us that books are not mere objects of paper and ink; they are vessels of the human spirit, bridges between minds, and instruments through which wisdom travels across the ages. To love books is not only to love stories, but to love the act of discovery — to cherish the quiet miracle of the mind awakening to new ideas. For when one learns to read deeply, one learns to live deeply.

The origin of this quote lies in Bush’s lifelong devotion to education and the written word. Before she became First Lady of the United States, she was a librarian and teacher, guiding young minds toward the joy of reading. She believed that every child who holds a book holds a universe in their hands — that through stories, imagination blossoms, empathy grows, and the seeds of wisdom take root. Her statement arises from a truth known to all teachers of the soul: that books are gateways, and through them, we step beyond the confines of our own experience into the boundless realm of understanding.

The ancients would have nodded in agreement, for they too held books — or their earliest forms — as sacred. The scrolls of Alexandria, the manuscripts of Greece, the bamboo texts of China, the palm leaves of India — all were seen as treasures not merely of knowledge, but of life itself. In every culture, reading was a holy act, a communion with the thoughts of those long gone, and an apprenticeship to the wisdom of the ages. To hold a book, to turn its pages, was to participate in a conversation that transcended time and place — a dialogue between the living and the dead, between student and master, between ignorance and illumination.

Consider the story of Malala Yousafzai, a young girl from Pakistan who risked her life for the right to read. In a land where education for girls was forbidden, she carried her schoolbooks like torches in the dark. Her love for learning and her reverence for books made her an enemy of those who feared the power of knowledge. Yet even after surviving violence, she said, “One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world.” In her courage, we see the truth of Laura Bush’s words — that to love books is to love freedom itself, for learning is the first act of liberation.

Books are more than vessels of knowledge — they are companions of the heart. Within their pages, we find not only lessons but reflections of ourselves. The child who learns to turn the pages of a storybook also learns patience, imagination, and empathy. The adult who reads learns to see the world with new eyes. Reading teaches us not only facts, but the art of reflection — the ability to pause, to ponder, to grow. Thus, the love of books and the love of learning are not two separate flames, but one and the same fire — the fire that lights the human mind and keeps it from growing cold.

In an age of screens and fleeting images, Bush’s words are also a call to return to stillness. To hold a book is to hold a moment of silence in one’s hands, to let thought breathe and meaning unfold at its own pace. A book demands attention, patience, and presence — the very qualities that learning requires. While the digital world floods us with information, it is only through reading that we find understanding. The slow turning of pages is the slow turning of the mind toward wisdom.

So, dear seeker, let this teaching be your guide: cultivate a love of books, and you will never cease to learn. Fill your home with them, as one might fill a garden with flowers. Let their presence remind you that there is always more to discover, more to imagine, more to become. Read not only for knowledge, but for the beauty of thought itself — for every book, if read with an open heart, becomes a teacher. In the end, as Laura Bush knew, the one who cherishes books cherishes life, for to love reading is to walk forever in the light of learning.