LIVE TO READ - Akshay Sharma

William Nicholson- a renowned French chemist and writer, once said, “We read to know that we are not alone.” For me, this sentence captures the essence of reading. A good book is like a wise friend whom you refer to for guidance, whom you look to when you want to relax and forget about the worries of the world. In so many ways, books are an escape from reality. And while many “realists” may argue that reality is the ultimate truth, I beg to differ. Call me delusional, but is not the world within a book as real and true as the world outside of it?

Books are a reflection of reality, sometimes an exaggeration of it, but never far away from it. Human beings are particularly peculiar creatures, in that they are so convinced by their own perception of reality that they are immune, sometimes ignorant to another’s idea of what is real and what is not. Books offer us a way out of this narrow scope of thought. They show us different worlds, extraordinary people faced with strange circumstances, and above all the basic human traits that we all possess. And that’s how I know that books exist to reassure us of the fact that we are not alone. However aloof or different we may consider ourselves, reading a good book leads us to identify with the characters, live with them, experience what their lives are like, and ultimately accept an alternate reality. So much for ‘the ultimate reality’. There could be as many parallel universes as there are books.

I consider books as windows to a flood of memories. A good book is one that you can come back to at different thresholds of life and surround yourself with a feeling of nostalgia. Books never lose their relevance. It’s like meeting an old friend after a decade of separation. Recounting the same experiences, laughing at the same jokes. We’re left astounded by how much everything has changed, and how some things never will.

For most of us who start reading at an early age, it is hard to come to terms with the world outside of those pages. Because what most books teach us are that qualities of compassion, love, tolerance and hope. They conveniently forget to bring to the forefront the harsh realities of the world we live in. Living in an alternate reality may seem like a wonderful idea, but it is not always healthy. That said, books let our creative juices flow, they help us to accept ideas and thoughts that we may have resisted once, they give us a sense of chaos and solitude at the same time. Reading books is quite similar to meditation. It is like exercise for your brain, and it is good for your soul.

I could go on forever about the magical world of books, but since this essay has to end, I must find some words to conclude this sequence of thoughts in a less awkward manner than I usually would. I guess, books make us better human beings, they equip us with the necessary tools to live, and not merely exist. They give us an escape when our lives are too hectic, or a wakeup call when life seems stagnant. People can find any number of ways to gain an education, to expand their knowledge, to learn something new, but most of them would involve books. So go to a library, a bookstore, your father’s study, or your overflowing bookshelf, and read a book, any book. Discover the pleasure that a hot cup of tea, dim lighting, and a good read have to offer.