The Beaty Of Living Or Why I Don't Read Books Anymore
Perhaps I will never really know why
I can barely go through the first paragraph of a book before stifling a yawn
and slamming it shut - but it was not always like this. I made it a point as a
child to finish every book I started (all but five). I used to love reading. My
friends belonged in every character of each story; the heroes and heroines, the
animals and magical creatures and even the villains. However, everything changed when I read a French
book – Monsieur Ibrahim et les Fleurs du Coran. My knowledge of French is very
limited mind you, but we had it explained and translated at school and it was
very inspiring. One of the core messages is that you have to live your life in
the world and experience it through your senses rather than depending on books for
it. Gosh did I take it religiously!
Life took a different perspective. Life became meaningless surrounded by books – gems of all knowledge and wisdom. It may sound depressing and shocking to some, but until then, I only found characters in books interesting. Everyone else was a mere imitation of a secondary character. The world was interesting, but not as interesting as the characters in the stories. Reality was dissatisfying; books were like a drug.
When I quit reading, I began seeing people. I became interested in their mannerisms and characteristics which set each person apart; became curious of their story and tried to find ways of connecting with others. It was another world. I began to live; to make my story my own – to make myself the protagonist of my world (not necessarily in a narcissistic way).
I cannot say that it was easy and that it happened overnight. Rather, it happened gradually and over a number of years. In the process, I have let myself give permission to experience the various sights, aromas, tastes and sounds and let myself feel the complex emotions no book can ever truly capture (not that I didn't do so before that but now I have more authority on myself without the need to revert to a book for a justifiable description). I also travelled and met different people from different countries listening to their stories and to their opinions.
I became alive.
I am not saying in any way that I have stopped reading. I have stopped reading fiction stories but I still have a hunger to read articles (as long as they are based on "facts"). Also, I am not saying that everyone – or anyone for the sake of the argument – should do the same. All I am saying is that I am trying to spend more time living in the world rather than living in a book.
Maybe you should do so too?
Life took a different perspective. Life became meaningless surrounded by books – gems of all knowledge and wisdom. It may sound depressing and shocking to some, but until then, I only found characters in books interesting. Everyone else was a mere imitation of a secondary character. The world was interesting, but not as interesting as the characters in the stories. Reality was dissatisfying; books were like a drug.
When I quit reading, I began seeing people. I became interested in their mannerisms and characteristics which set each person apart; became curious of their story and tried to find ways of connecting with others. It was another world. I began to live; to make my story my own – to make myself the protagonist of my world (not necessarily in a narcissistic way).
I cannot say that it was easy and that it happened overnight. Rather, it happened gradually and over a number of years. In the process, I have let myself give permission to experience the various sights, aromas, tastes and sounds and let myself feel the complex emotions no book can ever truly capture (not that I didn't do so before that but now I have more authority on myself without the need to revert to a book for a justifiable description). I also travelled and met different people from different countries listening to their stories and to their opinions.
I became alive.
I am not saying in any way that I have stopped reading. I have stopped reading fiction stories but I still have a hunger to read articles (as long as they are based on "facts"). Also, I am not saying that everyone – or anyone for the sake of the argument – should do the same. All I am saying is that I am trying to spend more time living in the world rather than living in a book.
Maybe you should do so too?
(omg I sound like such an extremist!! o.O)
trees or maybe one day; books
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