BOOKS

Life Lessons From Books and a Poem

According to a popular saying, “Readers are leaders.”

Reading a book doesn’t only have an impact on one’s level of intelligence, it also increases one’s level of self-worth, confidence, and relationship.

A 1974 Nobel Prize winner and American novelist, Ernest Hemingway stated that there is no friend more loyal than a book. From my own experience, I can boldly claim that good books undoubtedly are loyal companions. I have discovered that reading is an activity that rewires and refuels the brain.

It can introduce you into the world of the characters and improve your life by exposing you to a series of knowledge and insights. Here, I describe in brief two books from which we can draw life lessons.

Jane Eyre

If I had to choose one book which was a life changing book for me, I would say it was ‘Jane Eyre’ by Charlotte Brontë.

Jane Eyre taught me that education is important to become independent and self reliant. Jane faced so many adversities in life. She was an orphan. She was ill treated by her aunt and cousins. But she found refuge in reading. Jane was not good looking, like conventional heroines and society places so much value on women’s appearances, but she let her character shine through in the book.

Jane was impoverished yet she was resourceful. She is fiercely independent and stands by her principles. Jane voices her opinions and is not silent like the conventional heroines. She rejects St.John’s proposal of marriage voicing her opinion, she confronts Rochester-whom she loved deeply and was loved as deeply in return-about his earlier marriage which he had hidden from her.

Jane Eyre is a survival guide. It taught me to survive anything. Jane overcame all odds of impoverishment, loneliness, a society biased against women and she emerges victorious. The beauty of Jane’s mind shines bright.

Like Jane, I was considered the ‘plain looking one’ in my family. Like Jane I found the love of my life and like Jane I can say, yes reader, I married him!

So, yes, this book resonates with me.

Jane Eyre is truly a life changing book for me and it reflects in my attitude and responses to life’s problems.

The Life of Pi

“The Life of Pi” is one of the books that also had a positive impact on my attitude, thinking and my life in general.

In “The Life of Pi,” I discovered a lot about life and how to handle some of life’s events as they unfold.

The first lesson I discovered reading this amazing book is that we need to treat people in a good way and try to co-exist peacefully. Pi discovered this when he was stuck with a foe, Mr. Richard on the boat. Pi had to reconcile as they needed to rely on each other to survive. They had to communicate, peacefully co-exist, and define roles, rules, and boundaries.

Secondly, I was able to discover that it is important to have and implement a plan. There was a time when Pi had to survive after his boat capsized. He was able to plan for the period he’ll spend on the lifeboat after discovering a handbook. This implies that it is important to plan for every stage of life in order to handle anything life throws at you.

Another essential lesson that I discovered reading this wonderful book is to avoid putting all your eggs in one basket. Pi threw the supply he had on the lifeboat which was tied to the makeshift raft when he suddenly saw Mr. Richard, on the lifeboat. Although, this seemed like the right option at the time, but things took a bad turn when the whale came at night to overturn the raft which threw Pi’s supply into the water.

He later discovered that living with Mr. Richard on the boat was the best option. This shows that it is important to jealously guard every available resource, especially when starting out and always try as much as possible to minimize losses. This can be achieved by spreading your resources into groups or categories to reduce the dependency on the success of a particular strategy as anything could happen at any time.

Finally, it is important to keep moving forward, never give up, remain consistent and persevere, even in the harshest situations. From the book, Pi didn’t give up hope even when everything seemed impossible, amid hungry predators and the black sea.

It is always important to keep in mind that the dark days will not last and every bad circumstance that one is going through is a phase that will soon move to a new one. There would also be periods when it will seem like one has tried everything possible to change the current condition but yields no fruitful result. But there would always be opportunities to rejuvenate and recharge just like the island and the rain in the book.

But as long as there is life, there will always be hope and opportunities which can only be achieved by believing in oneself and to keep pursuing one’s dream.

Read books, they  help shape your thinking  and change lives.

My Poem: Books

Sitting by the window

On a lovely summer day

Held in magical sway

Trance- like, ascending.

Books carry me on angel wings

To distant lands, across oceans and streams

On pebble sands,

Across rushing rivers

Skies dusted with stars

Through battles and wars

Triumphs and scars.

Down memory lane

Golden sunshine, autumn rain

Joy, bliss, sorrow and pain.

Swirling in magical realms

Into land of dreams

Books! Panacea for all ills,

My therapy and pills

My richest treasures, my pride

My friend, mentor and guide.