Peace In The Margins

Have you ever picked up a book only to find – gasp – the pages are littered with random scribblings! If marginalia is a pet peeve of yours, then please don’t ask to borrow one of my books – especially any from my lit classes. Yes, I am one of THOSE.

I choose to write in the books I read for a variety of reasons.

1. It is a proven fact that when at least two types of learning styles are used, retention and comprehension increases.
2. It’s nice to look back over my notes from time to time.
3. You never know when that book you’ve written in will be picked as the next book club read, and hey, refresher notes!
4. OMG! You want me to teach Lord of the Flies to 9th graders! That’s awesome! Just let me look over my notes from the last time I read it.

And while those are all important reasons, I believe my favorite reason of all is this: when someone picks up a book you have written in, the marginalia provides insight beyond the story; it provides insight into you as the reader. It’s like a gift – a bonus – the book and notes!

Okay, in all seriousness, I once received as a gift an old edition of Harmony of the Gospels. The best part of this gift was the hidden gem inside. You see, my friend used that book during his time in seminary, and the notes within – in his handwriting – are priceless. It is as if I get a little bit of him in addition to the typed words on the pages. It is one of my most treasured books because of who wrote the marginalia.

So the question I pose is this: What marginalia are you leaving behind? What is your contribution to readers, your loved ones, strangers, the world?

Take it a bit deeper – our actions are the marginalia of our lives, and the way we live is meant to mean something – to make a difference. That doesn’t mean everyone will make a huge contribution in such a way that your name will go down in history. No, but making a difference is being someone’s marginalia – impacting a single life in a singular moment. That moment could be the one that even a stranger will remember for the rest of his or her life. The smallest contribution into a single individual’s life could be more important than anything a famous athlete or actor will ever do.