"You think your pain and heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read."
- James Baldwin
It isn't surprising that a writer such as James Baldwin would understand reading can change your perspective. It's just as understandable that he would sympathise with the feeling of unprecedented heartbreak.
Early 20th century America was an especially dangerous place to be black, gay and poor. After an incident in 1948 at a restaurant that refused to serve his kind, he decided America was too dangerous for him and moved to Paris.
In the rubble of post-war Europe, he likely sympathiser with the heartbreak that war had caused. In some small way, I'm sure it was comforting to see the people of Europe pull themselves back up from that rubble.
Baldwin developed his love of reading as a young man. He used to spend much of his day hiding in the library from a stepfather who treated him badly and an outside world that did the same.
Reading of the people that came before him and the struggles they survived gave him a passion. His life in Europe inspired him. His experiences in America gave him purpose.
He returned to America many times to offer support for both the civil rights and the LGBTQ rights movements. His books and essays shared a unique perspective on both of these issues and today he is remembered as a great inspiration to people from marginalized communities everywhere.
For many today feels like a time of unprecedented hardship. But it doesn't have to, like Baldwin we can gain comfort and inspiration reading how our ancestors survived similar hardship. After all, our problems aren't as unique as they may feel... But many should be. Don't just be content with learning about the problems we pushed through in the past.
Knowledge is power, use that power to inspire the future.
-JB
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