How I Fell in Love with Books - A Journey

“Books were my pass to personal freedom.”– Oprah Winfrey

It was not love at first read, it was rather a serendipitous encounter. Ever since my childhood I believed that books are not for me, I had never read a single book outside of my academics until my graduation apart from a few failed attempts. The attempts being Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone that I borrowed from an older cousin at age 12 and couldn't complete a chapter and The Da Vinci Code which again, I borrowed from another cousin at 15 and failed to process anything at all. Other than that, I neither had the access nor interest to read books.

Somehow during my graduation, I had managed to manifest a bunch of book lovers in my "Gang". We called ourselves "The Mad Gang". They enjoyed reading, exchanging books, discussing in length about every book they read and also took great delight in writing, but I never bothered to pay a heed until one day.

My friend had written a piece for a competition and she wanted to run it through us before she submitted. It was a short write up not more than hundred words, titled something on the lines of "Meeting a dead man". As she began reading it out, I experienced something I had never before. I saw myself walking on the park in the murky morning hours, I saw a man with a grey muffler sitting on an abandoned wooden bench, I felt fear, I felt curious to know his story and when she was done, I continued to stay there and I still do. This became one of those places that I often visit to get unstuck even today. And thus began my journey into the world of books.

Have you ever lived through the pages of a book? Found a friend, stood by them through their tough times carrying all the heaviness in your heart and been part of their little moments of joy? Well, years later a friend of mine suggested me to read this book called "Thousand Splendid Suns" and that's how I got introduced to Khaled Hosseini's books. Over the years I figured out that I'm more of a visual and kinesthetic person i.e I process information largely through pictures and feelings. When I read a book, I see the video playing in my head and I feel the emotions in my body. This book nailed the right spot! Even after 5 years, the images of Kabul is so fresh in my head like I walked those streets just a while ago. Then I went on to read "Kite Runner" another masterpiece by Hosseini. These books stirred the depths of my core and awoke in me a passion for writing for the first time in my life, paving way for my writing journey.

I feel extremely privileged to have read some of the beautiful literary works and my list continues to grow. My heart felt gratitude goes out to the writers and readers who inspired me at various stages of my life and introduced me to books that changed and continues to change my life.

What inspired you to take up reading? How do you experience a book? Do share your story in the comments section below.