Reading had always been a challenge and it’s still a challenge for me ..no matter how much I make reading resolutions, I end up breaking them.

Most of my reflection happens when I am cleaning and rearranging my cute little nest. I come across things which habitually takes me back to the memories connected to them and the contemplation starts. Somehow, I enjoy going back to them, it gives me unique perspective to look at things and help to respond better in diverse circumstances. At times it springs new ideas for new creations.

Recently I happened to come across this book in my bookshelf that I bought with lot of urgency almost fooling myself for double the price. I haven’t still opened it yet. The excitement to read it instantly disappeared the moment it rested nicely in my bookshelf. This swift memory took me to the realization and even a little guilt that prompted me promising myself to read it very soon, but the whole episode was momentary. I got back to my routines nearly losing my memory of commitment to the moment.

I was never a voracious reader, the only books I read was when I was growing up were either those alluring magazines or some very interesting fictions if someone insisted on. I always felt my academic material was more than enough for me to deal with.

The first good novel I read was a birthday gift from a good friend who was crazy about reading anything available on the planet. I still don’t know why did he choose to gift me a Fiction to read? Anyways that was a good read though and inspired me to read few more books but all were again of the same genre. Obviously, I was a teenager then.

Reading never happened to me again for long time until an elderly gentleman I met at some get together insisted me to read few books that he had from his Huge collection. “Sydney Sheldon”, again fiction? No. But I took the challenge knowing that he is one of the Best Selling Authors of all times. I really loved the read. For the first time in my life I was able to finish some seven-book series in a months’ time. It was indeed an achievement for me.

Later with great appreciation he gave me a fat book on World War II by Dan Brown and insisted me to read thinking I have graduated for it but that Novel nicely slept in my bookrack for three months and was returned back untouched. I realized that I can only read to amuse myself but not to evolve. So, I decided not to read at all as it was only taking me to the fantasy world and wasting my time which I could have invested into something more productive. How calculative I was I just realized while writing it now.

Thinking about those people who can read almost about everything I would feel a little lesser of me, still I always had great regards and fascination for people who are well read and can talk about almost everything when they converse. Sadly, I had never been a part of such conversations. I think that unfulfilled urge again pulled me back towards reading. I tried reading lot of books of various genres but could not make myself proud. I found other things like gardening, painting even writing more interesting than reading, the more I would try to get myself into reading the more I disliked it and would start finding new reasons to give myself a break. The most relevant reason I gave to myself was my understanding of the language English…I can laugh at it now since I never found it a barrier while I wrote.

On the other hand, I had been a very inquisitive person, the moment I read or see something different I am on the search engine hopping from one information to another spending almost the entire day till I get headache and my eyes are strained. Well curiosity makes us all read.

My reading graph have been very strange, the three consecutive books that I read recently were completely unrelated and so different from each other, I totally astonished myself thinking what was going on in my mind while picking them up one after the other.

Well I may pen down many such encounters of my efforts towards developing reading skills and become a good reader if its going to inspire you to read but this article must remain a small sharing.

Well am glad to mention that these days I am glued to some Spiritual material, though I am far from being very satisfied with my reading goals, I am quite happy with the way I am growing with every read. After all, all I wanted was to grow and thrive.

While revisiting my memories about reading this time I actually realized that things can become even more challenging when you perceive them with wrong notion. All I was doing was fighting myself in many different ways to reach to my goal totally disregarding about the journey that is equally contributing to take me closer to it while adding many Feathers to my Cap. Every accomplishment and every setback together made it an experience for me to live and a memory I got to return to. Had not it been a gratifying experience? Certainly yes. At least i learnt not everyone is meant to be a voracious reader. HaHa.

Now I read only when I want to read no matter how long my books have to wait for me. And I know that I don’t really have to read a lot I just have to know what needs to be known from the read.

Someone told me once : It’s important to climb up, its okay if it’s a baby step.

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