“Wind beneath my wings”
Song for today’s post is chosen by Moonmoon
Books were like a catalyst to me, which triggered up the reaction to make me into what I am today! The conversation randomly started with my niece Moonmoon asking me as to Aunty, you were telling me earlier that you were not exposed much to books earlier, and craved for education, then how did you manage to read?? Her question put me in a sweet position to walk you all down my memory lane, when I read one of my favorite books (Dhupa) written by Dr. Mayadhar Mansingh.
As a young girl one of the way I spent summer time was reading poetry and short stories sitting on the branches or under the guava tree at our backyard. We had limited money for essential stuff like food, clothes. My family did not buy books except text books since we had no extra money. Being a girl I was not allowed to go to library and borrow books which was farther from my home. I always loved story and poetry books. Books used to take me to another world which was beyond. While reading the book I often thought as if I was the character in the book. So I had to find a way to read story books spending my own money due to our family circumstance. Luckily my elderly neighbor always needed help to do their chore in exchange of giving me some money. I used to earn one “Anna” by delivering 3 vessels of drinking water to them from the public tap which was quarter kilometer away from their house.
One distinct incident I remember is the day when I collected 8 “anna” and bought the book “Dhupa” which is one of my all-time favorite book till this day. It was a very hot day in middle of June but I was happy to earn that money. I put one foot ahead of another carrying the water vessels to deliver while thinking about the love poems and how I will enjoy reading them sitting on the guava tree branch. It gave me a chance to buy my own favorite book.
Today I can buy the book sitting at home simply charging with my credit card. Actually I was gifted the book to read. When the package arrived I looked at the book few times and hoping to jumping jack out of joy. The cover page of the new book is beautiful. Somehow the intensity I felt having the book was not there. Not sure what can it be. May be I did not work hard or maybe I read it few times. My inquisitive mind kept on wondering for the cause.
Perhaps I was missing the experience I had reading the books sitting on the branches of our back yard guava tree. Please listen to the song which is chosen by me and Moonmoon with lot of discussion about my feelings reading the book.