When I read the title of the Chinese author Mo Yan's book, "Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out", I laughed with sympathy and understanding. I have a copy in my Kindle library and I may read the book one day.
When I think of the question of human limits, the number 150 comes to mind. I read that is somebody's estimate of the number of people that we can maintain friendships with. My current Contacts includes 872 people. Every once in a while, I spot a name in that list that I cannot identify. I just heard today of a friend who now has dementia and has difficulty remembering his own name or retaining another person's name for more than a few minutes after being told, yet again, a visitor's name.
When I think that we are asking our executives, our politicians, our scientists, our physicians to stay connected and cognizant with issues from all over, even outer space, these days, I don't get surprised by panic, rage, fatigue, confusion and self-imposed isolation.
It is nearly certain that I own more books right now than I will ever get read. Besides, you can be sure that those I have might not appeal to me as much as a new one or several that I hear about. You know that Ecclesiastes 12:12 says "Of the making of books, there is no end." You also know that is really true and ever so much more so today, with all those literate people running around with pens and keyboards. And, we need to save some waking hours for streaming and touring.
