What does it mean to be literate? Some people might say that you are literate if you know how to read and write, but that's not telling the whole story, is it? Being literate means having developed the ability to interpret the thoughts, feelings and sensations of others and to be able to create some of your own.

Like I have mentioned in previous posts, culture lives in everything we do. It is a fundamental aspect of who we are, but culture as we know it would not exist today if it weren't for literacy. If the cave men thousands of years ago had never written anything on the walls, ideas would not have spread, stories would remain trapped in the imagination of the storyteller, and our cherished culture would be fragmented and isolated. Literacy is the evolution of culture. Each time a new person becomes literate, the culture of the world changes only slightly, but it changes forever.

Young children feel the fullness of life, just as we all do (and perhaps a little more), but they cannot understand what these sensations mean, and they cannot actively relay their thoughts to others, and they cannot not fully contribute to culture. But when they learn to interpret the world around them, and how to paint their own walls, they change not only their culture, but the culture of those they influence. And as each generation passes through this gateway, the culture of the evolves into the future.

What are your thoughts on literacy? Do you have a different interpretation? Please comment!