Most people complain that they are lonely or that they experience frequent bouts of boredom. They cannot understand how to freshen up their minds. But what they actually need to freshen up are their thoughts, by adding more information to their mental hard disks. And believe me when I say this, nothing can do this as impeccably as a good book.

Back in my childhood, I always loved buying new books. No, it was not because I was very fond of reading, but rather because I loved to breathe in their aromatic fragrance. I would keep smelling them until the smell faded out. I am sure many of you must have also done this. After all, nothing can quite match the magical aroma of a book, regardless of whether it is a brand new edition or a second-hand paperback. That is one feeling that an iPad or a Kindle will probably never be able to provide – not at least in the foreseeable future.

Well, things changed when I came across my father’s book collection at the age of twelve. My father is an engineer by profession, so I was naturally surprised to see a wide range of books in his bookshelf. History, medicine, romance, science-fiction – you name it! I was really fascinated by his impressive assortment of books, and perhaps that is when I actually fell in love with books. In fact, it would be no exaggeration to say that my father went on to become my role model. Frankly, there was no looking back from there. From reading books and magazines with glossy covers in the school library to getting engrossed in some bulky novel during train journeys, I did it all.

Surjeet Kaur would prefer an aromatic paperback or hardcover to an insipid e-book

Many people would argue that a smart phone is a complete package; it has everything to keep you engaged. That may be right, and there is no denying the fact that gadgets are indeed getting smarter, but are we not moving in the other direction? Now there is some food for thought!

My suggestion to such people is to grab a cup of hot coffee, pick an interesting book of their choice, and sit comfortably on their favorite sofa or couch. That is all one really needs to fall in love with reading. And it also helps that you get a lifetime companion by doing so.

A NOTE TO OUR READERS

Besides being an avid reader, Surjeet also happens to be a passionate blogger. Do take a moment to check out her blog here.

If you too are an Indian reader with a story to tell, we are all ears. Getting your story published on Ameya is pretty straightforward, actually. Just click on the button below, fill in the applicable fields and start typing. Once you are done, hit ‘submit’. If you don’t quite fancy the idea of filling random contact forms on the Internet, relax – we’ve got all bases covered! You can simply email your story to us at support@booksameya.in. Once we’ve received your story, our team will get in touch with you and apprise you of its publishing status. Yes, it’s that simple!