Books and Meals Make You

I recently heard a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson that gave me pause:

“I cannot remember the books I’ve read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me.”

As first read, I love it! It makes a lot of sense. Just as the meals I’ve eaten over the years have sustained me and helped me grow, so have the books that I’ve read. That said, I think there is a bit more nuance.