Books.  A simple word which brings a smile to my face. I often get asked – “What do you do in your free time? Do you hang out with friends, watch a movie, or spend time catching up with an acquaintance?” But my answer has remained constant throughout the years. I read books. “Why?”, many have asked.  What pleasure and fulfillment can a book possibly give? Only if they knew. Books are a vortex into a different world. A world where there is no limitation, no mediocrity. I could be sitting in a room, yet travel infinite worlds and be infinite people. There is nothing that cannot be experienced. Moreover, they are great life coaches. Every book has something to say, something to convey, something that we can take and ponder. A good book can change your life in a way that no person can.

There are plenty of books that are close to my heart but I will talk about one of them. It is called ‘The Honest Truth’ by Dan Geimenhart. This particular book is an amalgam of different emotions, different lessons. It forces one to think of the actual meaning of life, and how less of it we truly are living. This book takes us on a journey. A journey of a twelve year old boy who is ill, very ill. But that doesn’t deter him from doing what he wants to do the most, to scale a mountain. So, without informing anyone, he sets out sets out on a journey of his lifetime, the only companion being his faithful dog. The obstacles he faced, the rejections he encountered, may seem trivial if seen from a lateral point of view. But as the book progresses, as the journey continues, different facades are revealed. The boy is not just a boy, he is everything we fear to be. But at the same time, he is the very essence of what life could be. Unperturbed by difficulties, he moves on. Doubts cloud his mind and he takes a few steps back. He is a little boy after all. But, he is not afraid. He is not even afraid of death, what more ould he possibly be afraid of? And on he goes.

I wouldn’t let the whole story out, because my words can do no justice to the wonderful book it is. The end is heart wrenching. It isn’t an ending, but a beginning to a new one. A more fulfilling one. This book has taught me that it is never too late to do what one truly desires. That life, despite the downs, can take you so up, that you can soar above. The only limitation is what one creates for oneself. I could go on and on about this enthralling piece of work by Greimenhart, but the only way to truly feel what the book is trying to convey is to read it. Read it with all your attention and I’m sure it will become your favorite in no time!

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