For the love of reading makes all the difference
Ioften marvel when Gennext shows love for ebooks, PDFS and Kindle. It’s reassuring to see them interested in reading, be it any mode. But I’m reminded of the words I once read on a Whatsapp status: ‘Kaagaz ki ye mehek, ye nasha roothne ko hai, ye aakhiri sadi hai kitaabon se ishq ki’.
Remember the joy a whiff of new books and notebooks brought upon the start of the academic session during student life? Even today, I feel that surge of joy when, as a teacher, I see suppliers bringing bundles of new editions of syllabus books to the staffroom. Almost always, I am tempted to sniff.
Books have helped me think, evolve, dream, create and laugh. Even travel, and, dance; for being a special-needs person, I might not otherwise be able to do that. It’s in fact same with any form of art – it takes the person to a different dimension of existence.
However, to reap the benefits from books, often called man’s best friends, one need not necessarily be a voracious reader. I am not, for instance. Rather, I am a relaxed take-lifeas-it-comes kind of reader. So, if I find an hour a day to read, I consider that good. If I get 15 minutes a day – that’s equally good. If I don’t get a single minute, well, there’s no rush. Didn’t Deepika Padukone give us a motto to live by when she said, ‘Life mein jitna bhi try karlo, kuchch na kuchch toh chutega hi; isliye jahaan hain, waahan ka maza lete hain na” in the movie Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani?
The dialogue transports me to a fleeting experience I had many years ago in Mussoorie, when I was sitting in the sloping roofed attic of my hotel room. As I looked up from my Ruskin Bond novel to stare outside the window for a moment, a small glass pane situated mid-wall, looked back at me. It was all there was in the name of a window! Trying to look beyond that pane, I saw only a hazy mixture of green and brown colours. Translucence. Daydreamer to the core, I closed my eyes. Lo and behold… snow-capped mountains, green meadows further down, and a swirl-like pathway (perhaps leading to my novel’s author’s residence) came into view. Satisfied with my imagery, I returned to the pages. My mind was at peace. Drawing a parallel with Deepika’s dialogue, I was bound to miss what lay beyond the glass pane; but, dwelling on that would have robbed me of the opportunity to imagine and further enjoy what already lay beside me – the book.
Books make for absolutely lovely gifts, if chosen aptly. Some of my life’s best gifts have been books, both received and given. It’s a sure shot way of conveying I care. Also, as my mom said, “Every time we read a book – even if it’s repeated, we get something new from it.”
I see much rationale behind this. The human mind is a dynamic entity, so even with the same book, the interpretations a reader makes are bound to vary as the reader evolves in thinking. For instance, there were times when even the most interesting books evaded me. I wasn’t able to enjoy them. The same books, later, would hold my attention to no end. Rightly said author Stephen King, “Books are a uniquely portable magic.” So, let’s indulge more in this magic as we stay home to stay safe.
BOOKS HAVE HELPED ME THINK, EVOLVE, DREAM, CREATE AND LAUGH. EVEN TRAVEL AND DANCE, FOR BEING A SPECIAL-NEEDS PERSON