My Love Affair.....

It was a long time ago. About 8 years back. However, every single detail still remains etched in my memory. I mean, who will not remember such a time in your life? Who will not remember their first love? The first time you really forget the outside world and just concentrate on that person. The first time when you can spend hours with that person, without food (not water though :P ), without friends. The first time, when you are more than willing to keep yourself in that small little world with that loving little person of yours. You never get tired of that person, you want to spend the rest of your life with that person. That is FIRST LOVE.

I had a first love too. Well, I continue to be in that first love. However, unfortunately, my first love was not with a woman ( !!!!! ). And not a guy either ( I AM straight). It was with a thing (Imagine all you can!!!! :P ) However, for me they were not things. They were much more than that. They were my BOOKS.

First clarification, NOT my text books (If you know me properly, you won't need that explanation :D ) Yes, they were my beloved story books.

I really don't remember the 'firsts' of my affair with my books. Something I regret. I cannot recollect which was the first book I read, how I got into this habit, at what age, etcetera. However, it does not serve purpose anymore, because my books became my best friends from the day I got into contact with them. Now I know, me using the phrase 'Books are my best friends' makes me seem very nerdy etcetera, I would like to defend my fellow mates here (Not that I feel a need, but others gotta see my point). Reading books is just an entertainment for us like it is to watch a movie, play a sport, watch television. Well I don't wanna go on about this, because I don't want to be all 'preachy' and spoil your read.

Anyway, my romance really picked up pace when I stepped into a bigger world, the secondary section, where I was exposed to the Library. I have many fond memories of the library. My first one which I can commemorate dates back to the fifth standard when I used to rush after school (literally run) to the library (because it was open only till 2pm i.e half hour after my school ended) to catch up with the Secret Seven series. I had just finished Famous Five at that time and thought that Enid Blyton was a guy!!!! My second one was in the sixth standard, when I had come at 7 am in the morning, half hour before the library opens, just to get Library Card No 1. I was reading the Five Find Outers at that time, which was like the milder book, compared to the Harry Potter books I read as soon as they got published.

Then there was that lull period after the eighth standard when I was exposed to the computer and the internet. So reading took a back seat as I explored the computer I always dreamed of owning. However, in two years I attained the saturation point (which is never attained with books) and in the most crucial year of my life (or so said by many people :P ) I got back my hobby which I had missed so much. Of course in the years in between, I was always connected to books, but not in the way I used to. My reading had matured from story books, to novels, to self-help and self-inspirational books. And of course, now I have that passion in life and one more, writing :D

Throughout these sixteen years, my passions have changed, my hobbies have changed but my only partner throughout these phases were my books. It is the one hobby that never left me, but whenever it did, it always came back stronger.

I really don't understand the reason why reading isn't a common habit. If only everyone could give it a chance at least once. It is the cheapest (or so it is said (but you can always get books from station for Rs. 60! )) and the most entertaining hobby one can have. However, I guess, not everybody has the same taste.

So here it is, non readers, please give reading a chance and you will be thanking me later( :P )

And readers, Happy Reading!!!!!

P.S- Technically speaking, this post is being read by 'Readers' and 'Non Readers' will not even read this Post. So this whole thing is a..... (Fill In the Blanks)

P.P.S- Why did I not think of it before? DAMN!!!!!