I spent the afternoon of today, sitting in Starbucks, being in my happy place. Although I didn't get very far with these two books (only reached page 61 of Eat, Pray, Love) but I truly felt recuperated from the fast crazy days that just went by. To be surrounded by living, breathing people with a whole lot of energy, laughter and stories was just amazing. But I guess, everyone runs out of "social power" sometimes or at least I do.
And I must say, I think these two buys are like the best in my whole shopping haul this holiday (:
My parents used to get me books all the time because I always get so fascinated with the different stories and it is the only time I was ever silent I guess haha. Once a story starts, I would always be so enthralled by the journey of the characters that I would beg my parents to finish reading it till we reached the end of the story where they always lived happily ever after. By getting caught up in the stories, I guess, is my happy world. To step into the shoes of the characters, live through their life and be happy for them in the end. (But as I grow up, I realise, happily ever after just doesn't exist. In a way I feel cheated that they don't tell you what happens after happily ever after. I guess the authors couldn't bring themselves to write the reality down too.)
However,
At that moment, you are not you.
At that moment - you are wrecked on an island with nothing at all.
At that moment - you are in Italy, eating a plate of delicious pasta.
At that moment - you are running through a dark alley, trying to pursue a criminal.
At that moment - you are in the arms of someone that love you so much, you just don't want him to let go.
At that moment, you just don't have to care about everything else in this world.
That's the beauty of a book.
And to feel the weight of the book in your hands,
the musky smell of its paper.
To flip the corners crisped or clean.
To hear the sound of the paper flipping.
Everything is just so magical.
I stopped buying books when my bookshelves (two tall and big ones that reached the ceilings) got really full and also when my pocket started to get really empty from these expensive these books. That's when the library became my happy place. But after a while I just got tired of having to read through books that don't belong to me. And when these two titles (and a whole lot of other titles came out, which I can't afford all) came out I decided that it was time to own them. In a sense I felt that I would be able to go back to these books again and again when I feel lost hence I happily splurge on them.
I wouldn't say much about The Fault In Our Stars, actually I wouldn't say anything at all as I haven't started it. In actual fact, I don't really know how the book goes but I kept seeing quotes by John Green on Tumblr and decided that he was fabulous enough for me to own one of his books and thus The Fault In Our Stars is sitting on my table right now.
I have never watched the movie Eat, Pray, Love because at that point in my life I didn't thought the movie was exciting and appealing enough for me to go sit through it. And I guessed it didn't made much sense to the 16 year old me.
Why I picked this book I really don't know. I guess as I reached this stage of my life where I am so comfortable being alone that sometimes it's scary how I don't crave for the company of another half, this book just calls out to me.
And the next paragraph just pretty much sums out the reason why I even blogged about today. It was too surreal to not note down.
As I begin this book, I found myself shutting it so many times at different points of the story because it felt as if I was reading my own thoughts and life out. It's like her thoughts, cravings, questions and love for travel reflects what's in my heart. And with every word I read, I was hoping to find the answer to my predicament. That the steps she walked will form the answer to my future path. However, since I am only at page 61 of 441, I don't think I can find any certain answers yet.
But I'll keep trying,
till the end.
I wanted to stop the post with the previous paragraph but I felt that I should stop hang off in the middle of nowhere thus I am typing this to officially declare the end of it all.
