Magic of Books

I was never a voracious reader, but I have read some of the famous novels in my mother tongue, Malayalam, such as Oru Desathinte Katha, Randamoozham, Kayar, Indulekha, Balyakalasakhi, and Ente Katha, to name a few!

But, of late, some books have transformed my life. They gave me guidance during some very critical instances of my life. Let me briefly mention some of these books here.

The very first book that made an impact on me is The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. The Four Agreements! I love ‘em!

The First Agreement: Be Impeccable with Your Word. The Second Agreement: Don’t Take Anything Personally. The Third Agreement: Don’t Make Assumptions
The Fourth Agreement: Always Do Your Best

I always try to follow these four agreements as far as possible. This book made my thought process simple, especially the second and third agreements. It’s a very powerful book and I am sure you’ll enjoy it, if you haven’t already read it!

Who Will Cry When You Die, by Robin Sharma, is my all-time favourite, and I always carry this book, especially when I am travelling. I am the kind of (weird?) reader who wants to open a book anywhere and with the flip of a page or two (not more than that, please!) I should be able to get a fresh topic altogether. Very funny, isn’t it? It’s not easy to get such books, and you may notice most of the books in my collection are of that kind. If you are like me, then this book is your best bet. There are 101 life lessons. Some of my favourite lessons are Discover your calling, Keep a journal, Talk to yourself, Always carry a book with you, See your children as gifts, Master your time, Remember the rule of 21, Have a living funeral, Learn how to walk, and Rewrite your life story.

After reading this book, I consciously made an effort to be aware of all my actions and thoughts. Nowadays, I try to focus my attention on each experience occurring in the present moment, which in turn has made me enjoy life a little more. I enjoyed reading this book immensely (I am still reading it) and hope you will too!

You’ll See It When You Believe It, by Dr Wayne W. Dyer, is another book that made me think. It’s really a ‘thought-provoking’ book. The author taught me how to transform my life with the power of my own thoughts, and has made me believe that I can make my most impossible dreams come true.

This is the book that gave me the strength and courage to take some tough decisions, especially on the professional front. It’s a complete personal transformation book.

Who Moved My Cheese, by Dr Spencer Johnson, helped me to cope with some inevitable changes in my life. It’s really an inspirational story that made me accept the changes that had happened both in my personal and professional life. This book taught me how to adjust and be happy in my empty nest. No cheese in our life will last forever. Life moves on, and so should we!

The Power Of Your Subconscious Mind, by Joseph Murphy, made me look within to check the type and quality of thought-seeds I am planting in my subconscious mind. The author made me realize that this seed-planting is happening all day long without my being aware of it. The only obstacle to my success and achievement is my own thought process or mental image. This book gave me the confidence to follow my passion and even paved the path to the beautiful world of blogging.

Last but not least, the Bhagavad Gita taught me the best lessons ever:

“Do your duty to the best of your ability,… with your mind attached to the Lord, abandoning worry and attachment to the results, and remaining calm in both success and failure.”

“Whatever happened, happened for the good. Whatever is happening is happening for the good. Whatever will happen, will also happen for the good.”

I think reading is the most inexpensive hobby, as often you can borrow it from a library or a friend, and these days you can even get many of them online. It is fun, and it also relaxes your mind and body. It enriches you, and you can learn practically anything from reading books. I am sure that you may have read one or more of the above books already. Please let me know if you have come across any inspirational or life-transforming books. Together, we can read as many books as possible and make the rest of our lives more meaningful!

Happy empty nesting!