With Mirth and laughter, let old wrinkles come. Yesterday was World Book Lovers day. World Book Lovers Day is celebrated every year on August 9. A joyful and blissful day dedicated to writers who use books as a form of escapism and readers who use books to hide from the harsh realities of the world. A day dedicated to people who see books not just as words on paper, but as flowers, soft rain, sunset, sunrise, air, and doors that lead to beautiful places. It is a day for us who have heaps of books, some shelves even taller than ourselves. A day for us whose favorite books have become dog-eared, stained with sweaty palms and whose pages are on the brink of falling out. The national book lovers day is also a day for those who are just discovering the magical world of books and those who have fallen in love with books without even realizing it.
Yesterday was a very special day to me. Why? Because books define me. I see myself standing in front of a crowd of one thousand people, and with a mic placed in my front and all eyes fixed on me, they chorus, “what are your top three favorite things in the world?” I'd stare at each of them, from the first to the last and say, “Books, Chess, and anime.” Not only are these three things my favorite things in the world, they also define me. They make me who I am. More importantly, they have helped me through my darkest times. At my lowest when I felt life was against me, and it actually was, books, chess and anime helped me. They held on tight to the helm of my garment and pulled me back to life. If only we could celebrate our birthdays more than once, I would choose to celebrate them on Books Day and Book Lovers Day.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A BOOK LOVER? I WILL TELL YOU
In February, I decided to get books for myself. I thought about what books to get for weeks, but I still couldn't decide. So I figured I would just go to the bookstore and buy whichever piques my attention. One thing I was sure of was that I would buy two new books. That beautiful morning when I got to the bookstore, I sat in the midst of books and was lost. For minutes, I just kept scribbling my hands through the pages of new books, not sure of which one to pick. I wanted them all. It was difficult for me to pick just two books. I wanted to have it all. That is what it means to be a book lover. I planned to get two new books, but I ended up getting four new books. That is what a book lover would do.
I came across a post on X from an account called Booktasters. It was a book-themed meme titled “Pick Your Poison,” and one of the “poisons” was: “Get free books forever. Immediately, I shook my head and muttered, “I don’t want this poison.” I don’t know how it works for other book lovers, but I find joy in buying books with my money. I derive ineffable joy from waking to the bookstore, dipping my wet hands into my pockets and paying the store owner with my money. That is what it means to be a book lover. I mean, that is what a book lover would be.
It took me ages before I found my favorite book: Judith Clarke’s Night Train. Judith Clarke was a great writer. May her soul rest in peace. Before I read this book, if anyone asked me what my favorite book was, I would tell them that it was almost impossible for a book lover to have just one favorite book. I don’t know how Night Train got into the house. Maybe a fairy brought it there or it just magically appeared in my mom’s library, but ever since I read it, it became my favorite book. I can't count the number of times I have mentioned that book in my blog, when talking with my fellow book lovers, and even my friends who are not book lovers. That is what it means to be a book lover. These are the things book lovers would do.
Being a book lover means living in the world of books, books, and more books! Better late than never! Happy National Book Lovers Day, my fellow book lovers.
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