In the Comfort of Books
A few of the books that began my reading journey
It’s a big world. So
I find comfort in books that
help me make some sense.
Hi, I am Sayori, the new marketing assistant intern at Ethos Books. I must apologise for the ‘cringe-worthy’ haiku. Thirteen-year-old me thought herself to be somewhat of a poet. Alas, that dream never came to pass. But her words hold true till this day.
There’s an unexplainable peace and comfort that comes with reading. Emma Watson once said, “…when things get really dark and times are really hard, stories [i.e., books] give us places we can go, where we can rest, feel held.” And I can understand that. When I used to feel at my worst, consumed by fear and anxiety, a book was like a lifeline. I would spend hours lost in the worlds, of Narnia, Middle Earth, Harry Potter, Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl. It was in their stories of friendship, love, camaraderie, adventure that I found freedom, solace, and a sense of belonging. Have you ever experienced it?
Science has its many theories. As a Geographer myself, I realised the more-than-human nature of books affects us emotionally and mentally. Books diffuse the boundaries between reality and fiction; they help us to regulate our emotions, bring us comfort and enable us to understand and make sense of our world. On top of that, books present a clever commentary on the state of our everyday realities. This encourages us to think critically and identify the gaps and imperfections in society. The power they hold!
So, I believe 13-year-old Sayori, though she was cringy, had some sense in her. As big and scary the world may get sometimes, we can always find comfort in the books we read.
Happy Reading,
Sayori
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