When was the last time I read a book from cover to cover? I can’t recall. Perhaps it was during one of those late-night flights crossing oceans that remained unseen to me, where I flipped through the pages of old classics like ‘The Old Man and the Sea’, ‘Heart of Darkness’ or ‘A Passage to India’.

But one quote sticks with me, reflecting the resilience of the human spirit in the face of the devastating power of nature. It is from ‘The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor’ by Gabriel García Márquez: “Being alone in the vastness of the ocean is both terrifying and awe-inspiring.”

He survived the shipwreck to tell his tale, but how many others meet a different fate? What if all those who have departed this world were to take rebirth as books? Imagine the departed loved ones metamorphosing into books, forever rekindling memories and keeping their eternal presence alive in our hearts.
Imagine a bookstore where each book is not merely a collection of words, but a living tribute to its subject or the one treasured in our hearts. Picture shelves adorned with volumes wrapped in the fabric of love – some bound in leather embossed with symbols of strength, others adorned with delicate patterns evoking grace and tenderness. Within these pages lie the stories of lives well-lived, each passage a testament to the enduring bond between the living and the departed.

I love stories and love to weave them! In the quiet hours of the night, as the world outside slumbers and silence wraps around me like a comforting blanket, I find myself lost in such thoughts. As my fellow passenger snores in the silence of the flight, I dive into the idea that departed loved ones could be reborn as books, stirring memories long tucked away and emotions left unspoken.

Though my habit of reading has waned, I still wander through the corridors of my mind, tracing memories like well-worn paths. I remember a friend for whom I prayed in vain, now in a world unknown to me. Sometimes I see her as Maggie in George Eliot’s ‘Mill on the Floss’, or as Marquez’s Eréndira.
My son thinks I have gone mad, living a life so immersed in books even without reading. For his generation, everything is available at their fingertips, but I relish the tactile experience of flipping through pages, enjoying the smell and the warmth of an embrace. As I turn these pages, I feel my grandmother’s laughter echo through the passages, hiding stories of memories and struggles.

These books offer glimpses into both real and imagined worlds, serving as an asylum where I can lose myself in tales of adventure, romance, and mystery. And amidst these pages, I long for a connection to those I have lost – a tangible reminder of their presence in my life, even in their physical absence.
In the quiet corner of an old library, where the scent of aging paper dances in the air and the shelves whisper tales of forgotten time, there exists a haven unlike any other. Books transcend their physical form, becoming paths to realms unknown.

As I immerse myself in their words, the essence of their personalities seeps into me, transporting me across oceans of generations. Yes, books happen to me. As Haruki Murakami said: “Have books ‘happened’ to you? Unless your answer to that question is ‘yes,’ I’m unsure how to talk to you.”
No doubt, a great book leaves you with many experiences, slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading! Just as books are vessels of knowledge and wisdom, so too are cherished memories of loved ones repositories of their essence, preserving their legacy for generations to come.

Each book is a journey through time and space, carrying its reader across landscapes both familiar and unknown. From ancient civilizations to the farthest reaches of the cosmos, books unlock the doors to our collective heritage and wildest imaginings.

In a momentary world, books stand as monuments to eternalness, preserving the stories of past generations and safeguarding wisdom for ages to come. Long after their authors have passed into memory, books remain as testament to the enduring power of the written word, speaking across ages to anyone who cares to listen.

Within their pages lie the wisdom of ages, the dreams of visionaries, and the echoes of distant voices, patiently waiting to be discovered by those who dare to venture into their depths, along with the memories of departed souls. As I close my eyes and drift into slumber, I carry with me the gentle whisper of those souls reborn as books, their essence forever intertwined with mine in the pages of memory.