One of my deepest joys is having a spare morning where I can make my french press and lose myself in reading. I have loved reading since I was a child, and I used to take it granted that others shared the same passion. It helped that my mom likes to read and my older sister now my other sister does as well. Also my aunt with whom I shared an impromptu book club, sharing books that I had finished and who in turn gave it to others.
I know I have spoken about it in the past, but got me thinking about it again is how much I use reading as an incentive to get other less desirable or uncomfortable tasks done (like writing, meditating or legal study). I see it a a reward and as a time out for me which is why my bathroom is littered with New Yorkers, Men’s Healthy and Scientific American magazines.
Moreover, the reading has to be in a physical format. Although I got an Kindle as soon as it was released ages ago, I just missed the flipping of the pages too much. I loved the feel of the hardcover, the paper, the reading of each line imprinted. In a weird way, digital felt like cheating, and it just didn’t carry the satisfaction.
Since the beginning of the year, I have really made a concerted effort to read more different subjects, more authors that are non indian, more so called fun reads that make you want to finish the book quickly. I love the race to the end, its a game I play with myself. I always win because no matter if the book was good or bad, I got to live in a different world, see characters and hopefully glean some knowledge on how I can be a better writer.
And so today, relish the opportunity to read, and I am grateful that I have the luxury of doing so. Happy Monday!
Sanjay Sabarwal's Blog 