For the Love of Reading!

I have been reading since I was a kid. My parents, both of whom are avid readers themselves, instilled the habit in me. Initially, my father used to read to me from colourful story books. Then, when I became old enough to read, I was given simple novels like those of Enid Blyton. Her Treasure Island of the Famous Five series was one of the first books I read. From then on there was no looking back. I went on to read all the books in the series and discovered other similar series, like the Five Find Outers, the Secret Seven, the Children of Cherry Tree Farm and the Faraway Tree series. I was drawn to these books, because all of them featured a bunch of kids, roughly my age, engaging in adventures. To the child in me, reading such stories was delightful. The part that I loved best was the way the words in the book would paint a vivid picture in my head - from the appearances of characters, their homes, their schools, their pets to the mischief they got into.

From very early on, I became a very deep reader. “Deep” as in, the events in the book, the fate of the characters and the characters themselves, affect me. In a good way, of course. I relate to the characters and develop an affection for them. When I read, I look at the world through the characters’ eyes, experience it from their point of view. I laugh when they laugh, cry when they cry, even get angry on their behalf. I feel like I have gained a better understanding of people by reading about various characters and how they cope with difficult situations. 

The best books are those which teach us important life lessons. Harry potter has taught me that we always have a choice between what is easy and what is right and that love and friendship, are more important than wielding power. The Hunger Games books have taught me that even a single person can make a huge difference, like inspire a rebellion against an oppressive government if one is brave enough to believe in oneself. The Princess Diaries has taught me that to attain self-actualisation, one needs to look within. Self-actualisation comes, not by gaining other people's appreciation, but by gaining one's own, by empowering oneself. These are just a few examples. There is so much more that I have learnt - little snippets of wisdom from between the pages of a book.

Second best to reading is talking to other people who have read the same books that I have. I absolutely love talking about my favourite books to people who love them just as much as I do. To me, they are kindred spirits who understand my pain and joy, who know how I feel when I read a book that I love. 

I don’t get hooked to every book I read, but there are some that really strike a chord deep within me. When I finish reading such a book, the feeling is bitter sweet. On the one hand, I feel happy to know that the story ended well, even though the ending may not always happy. On the other hand, I feel melancholic. There is a void within me, because the story ends there. It's almost like saying goodbye to a close friend who is going away for a long time, because now, I won't be able to read about my favourite characters anymore. I call it 'withdrawal symptoms'! To get over these symptoms, I look up fan-fictions and fan-arts of the characters. This only partially helps. Another thing I do is this - if there is a movie based on the book, I watch it. It is exciting to see if the movie portrays the characters, events and locales in the book just as I had imagined them. Some movies are good, like the first few Harry Potter movies and the Lord of the Rings movies. However, many movies end up being disappointing. I can forgive the moviemakers for that because, when making movies, there are many constraints that need to be adhered to, especially the time constraint. Thus, one would do well not to judge a book by its movie, as the popular saying goes.

People say that reading is a means of escapism. Maybe it is, if done in excess, by disregarding all worldly duties. To me, reading is a way to cope. Whenever I feel down in the dumps, it is reassuring to know that there is a good book to read in which I can escape for a little while. When I emerge, I feel rejuvenated and ready to take on the world again.

It doesn't matter if it is an eBook or a real book. A book is a book, in whatever form. Although, it is true that it is more fun to read a real book. The excitement of turning pages, the smell of a new book - lend a personal touch to books which is absent in an eBook. However eBooks have their own advantages. They're portable, easily available, and cheaper. I read both kinds of books, whichever I can get my hands on first.

It may be said that this world is divided into those who like to read and those who don't. But I believe that there is "a book" for everyone - this one book that will make a person, even a non-reader, fall in love with reading. 

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