Among the most important concepts you’ll ever learn:

Semantic range.

Or: Words are like suitcases.

For example, “light” can mean something that shines, something not heavy, or even a gentle feeling.

Words can carry more than one meaning. The nerds also call this “range of meaning.” It’s the different things a word can mean depending on how it’s used.

Wisdom requires us to slow down and ask how a word is being used. Provocative language often plays with this range, pulling in a curious reader, tickling or even shocking your semantic expectations.

Patience or pride make all the difference. Reflecting on “semantic range” takes humility. Pride chooses to be triggered; humility pauses to troubleshoot a riddle.

“Let a wise person listen and increase learning,
and let a discerning person obtain guidance—
for understanding a proverb or a parable,
the words of the wise, and their riddles.”
– Proverbs 1:5-6

“If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.”
– Proverbs 18:13

“Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.”
– Proverbs 19:11

So, reflect, don’t react.

That’s one reason to read books. Not just for what they say, but for how they train your mind to wait, to wade, and to weigh words.