I think the wilfully unimaginative see more monsters. They are often more afraid. This is a very nicely put bit of wisdom. It is so true that no further comment (at least from me) is necessary.

Over the weekend I read Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner and though it inspired a number of powerful and universal human emotions and (if I were reading it with friends) might have sparked amazing conversations on the nature of man and citizenship, the overwhelming sentiment I felt upon finishing it was gratitude for living in such a decent country. My kids are too young for this story and its descriptions of rape, etc.--but I will remember it later as they finish high school and set off for college as a means by which they can put their own imaginations to work so as to walk away with more gratitude. We need more of these kinds of stories.

The woman is a flat-out genius. Many overlook her academic background. But that's a woman that gets symbolism, and knows how to crank out a story that fascinates kids.