The Who vs The What

 

 

It is a dilemma and it must be faced.

One is a who the other a sublime

mechanism whereby one can be

transported outside oneself. Both are

 valued, the who as a warm and living

organism complementing our lives

while the what is a devoted byproduct

of humanity's capacity to communicate.

Put the two together and the dilemma

surfaces. A mischievous little dog

who believes it is perfectly normal to

peruse the bindings of books not to

find fascinating promise within their

pages, but to gnaw that binding as an

irresistible draw. To separate the who

and the what is not a simple undertaking.

Books abound in this household and are

everywhere to be found, many at a level

approachable by an enterprising dog.

And that small dog is also everywhere

in the house that values the presence of

reading material. It is not a question

actually of what holds greater appeal

and value to those who respond to the

endearing qualities of a small hairy

creature living among them, as opposed

to the printed word and the elegant grace

of language. So which to favour and

how to balance the scale of devotion

requires rational debate beyond the

discipline required of a puzzled little

dog for whom love cannot be withheld.