I am… What I Read

Mark Twain once revealed his mind, “A man who cannot read has no advantage over the person who is illiterate.” Reading and writing are the fundamental things that we learned in school. I distinctly remember the first day in new class when books were distributed. I was zestful that now I’ll get to read new stories from the books. Be it the fable of ‘The Bore and Two Friends’ or the story of ‘A Crocodile and A Monkey’ by Vikram Seth. Characters of the books left an everlasting impression on me. The professional ethics and values I possess today are somewhat in sync with what I imbibed those days.

As a kid, we find everything fascinating. We are even amazed by the things we find mundane now. The reason being, back then it was a new experience for us. But as we all get exposed to the hassles of life, these events around us cease to be impressive. We abandon the most wonderful habit we inculcated during childhood. We stop to add new assets to our arsenal. We stop to read. As I grew up, along with me, the books grew up too. I was devoured by the heavy volumes of Physics and Mathematics books. The purpose of reading was now different but there was one thing still common between the different genres I was reading – it was helping me to grow. This time the growth was on the professional front.

For my joining at ABC, I relocated to a new city. The joy of amazement returned to my life. I was amused by the simplest things again. The hoardings, streets, buildings, everything was fascinating once again. And it was prodded by this bliss I picked story books again. My world was now revolving around the characters of novels I was reading. I was traveling places I never imagined I would. And I was viewing the world through eyes of the protagonists of the books I was reading. At times, trying to be committed to work while reading Md. Ali’s biography whereas trying to be brave like Santiago in The Alchemist.

Pragmatically, it’s impossible to opt several careers at one point of time. But submerging into depths of words I can look the world through the eyes of a doctor, a refugee, a survivor or a soldier. Books are a way of life. They have helped me develop a perspective. To understand people at workplace better and to relate to them. Books have provided me words and thoughts which are the greatest asset a man can possess.

Looking through the prism of time, I feel all the shades that are sublimed into my life are a byproduct of the books I have read over the years. The shades might not be fifty yet, nor are they gray but certainly a bright combination of the colors of umpteen books I have read over the years.