The Joy of Reading

BEST FRIENDS. A peek at my book collection.

At age 15

The story begins on Christmas Eve. Just below the Christmas tree draped with scintillating lights, a present rests above a huge pile of colorful gifts waiting to be opened. Clothed with a fancy Christmas wrapper, it was handed over to me by my sister. The usual Christmas Holiday routine: the charitable giving of presents among family members. Nothing unusual or out of the ordinary. But this year, it was somehow a change for me, instead of intricate dresses, hair accessories or decorative shoes, I received something different and unfamiliar.

The present was pretty light almost similar as that of an empty shoe box, I thought. I was ecstatic and overjoyed as I carefully opened the surprise. Joyfully, my eyes gleamed with excitement! “A book!”, I exclaimed. Upon realizing my Christmas present was a book, cautiously, I scanned the pages smelling its aroma like fresh brewed coffee on a Sunday Morning. Strange but I loved it! That moment was forever imprinted into my memory, the day I had my very first book.

NOTE. A short letter written by my sister on a page of my very first book.

At age 16

I find reading really tiresome. My first book was related to drawing so I become engrossed with art so much I spend most of the time drawing, rather than reading. Unlike other teens, I don’t get the exhilarating joy of going to malls and buying new sets of books. I find myself complaining for hours when I have home works correlated to reading. It was more of a NEED for me. “I need to finish reading this to answer the questions for my assignments.” I often find myself skimming through the pages.

THE ALCHEMIST. A brilliant piece by Paulo Coelho.

Things started to change when I had a talk with my cousin who is such a huge reader. She explained how a person who distastes reading has not found the right book yet. “Give me a book that will make me love reading. Give me the best book you have.”, I chuckled as I challenged her. She handed me a book entitled “The Alchemist”. It was very clear that it is one of her favorites since it was covered with plastic cover and was well kept, almost brand new. Upon going home, quickly, I hopped into my bed and read the first chapter. Hours passed by and the next thing I knew, it was already four in the morning and I’m at the last page of the book contemplating about my entire existence.

At age 18

I finally bought my own book from my hard earned savings. This was followed by another book, then another. Through the years, reading has become a huge part of me. Bad day? A page or two from a book would definitely work the magic. Feeling down and unpleasant? A poem sounds pretty good! I cannot further stress out how it helped me and shaped my beliefs.

THE WINNER STANDS ALONE. Another piece from my collection of Paulo Coelho books.

In connection to that, here are just few of the reasons why I find joy in reading:

1. Reading takes you to places.

According to Dr. Seuss:

The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.

In one snap, you can find yourself in the middle of a luscious jungle, a sub urban faraway, or a busy city bustling with cars. Anywhere! You can also be transported to a different time line. Through the work of our imagination, the author takes us somewhere we’ve never been before. Every book is an adventure waiting to be taken.

2. Reading allows you step into someone else’s shoes.

You can absolutely be anyone! And by anyone I mean, a teenage girl? A vampire from centuries ago? An old man on the last minute of his life perhaps?

The poem “Magic” by Bo Burnham exhibits how through reading, we can be anyone we aspire to be. Another case in point is the book “Everyday” by David Levithan wherein the protagonist experiences being in a different body every single day.

3. Reading has the power to influence the readers.

The pen is indeed mightier than the sword. A stanza from a poem has the capability to change the way you think about the world. The poem “A Psalm of Life” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is a paradigm. A book gives you boundless knowledge and information. Hence, it is very essential for authors to be mindful of the pieces they write as they have the capacity to create a huge impact in someone’s life.

At present

My sister was right. The joy of reading does not depend on what we read but of the adventure that lies within. Now, I find myself reading when I am not writing. I find solace in reading. I personally think each one of us has an inner reader. We just need a little push,the right book.

I was inspired by @thegaillery’s article which prompted me to share the joy I find in reading. What about you? Do you also adore reading? Share your thoughts and tell me what you think!

Before I leave, I would just like to impart a piece from one of my favorite poems by Lora Daunt:

Curled in a corner where I can hide
With a book I can journey far and wide
Though it’s only paper from end to end
A book is a very special friend.

Here's to more pages to flip and adventures to take!