Not sure the origin of this proverb. It means that books teach us wisdom of thousands of years. Teachers come and go, but books carry on. That’s why we can still access wisdom of greats such as Aristotle, Seneca, and Socrates nearly two thousand years after they walked on this planet (note Confucius was even longer).
No disrespect to teachers, as that is one of the most meaningful professions in my view. But books are immortal and last much longer than any of us.
I was an avid reader when I was young and I truly appreciated that. So I wanted the same for my son when he was young. Anywhere we lived, be it a rental or our own house, I always made sure there was a public library nearby in walking distance so my son could spend lots of his free time there. That seems to have worked, as he once said: "I can't live without books, I read like a sponge suck in water."
In modern times as it is now, people are always so busy and there are so many temptations around, that young (or not too young ;-) may spend more time on their phones than on books, which might be a drawback in human progress.
Sorry I might be boring you, but “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” - Frederick Douglas
Happy (another) Monday!
