The festive season comes to an end with the New Year Eve party.
The euphoria of welcoming the new year reaches a crescendo with the countdown. And just like that it’s over.
What now?
I dread opening the emails as its over-flowing with tempting offers, irresistible graphics and convincing lines that make you want to click and buy before it’s all too late.
But what I fear more are the recaps. What you did, where you went, what did you wear or eat or saw… I mean it’s an uncomfortable summary of your life.
The social media platforms don’t let you forget anything.
But the review that really shook me up was the one I received from an online book community I’m a member of.
They told me something I didn’t want to hear or acknowledge – the abysmal number of books that I had read in the last year.
13!
That’s all. I mean I can make a strong case for the non-performance but even I know that’s lame. This is humiliating, absolutely disappointing, totally unacceptable.
I immediately deleted the mail as if I didn’t want anyone to discover my embarrassment but the damage was done.
To placate my sinking heart, I bought two books immediately even though I prefer to buy one book at a time. Get one, finish it, and then get the next one. I’m not for collecting books.
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Reading always has been my go-to. As a student with limited budget, I’d haunt the stores in the old city for second hand books. The annual book exhibitions were like paradise.
It’s been a constant in my life. Physical books got replaced by Kindle (for logistical reasons) but they were always there.
Yet, with each year I find fewer and fewer people to share this passion with. Even the book clubs are more coffee and catch-ups than talking books. It’s like the rapidly disappearing morning fog.
It’s no longer fun visiting the bookstore, being able to walk up to someone there who can advise you, or point out to something of interest.
Most of the store assistants don’t even understand what you’re asking for! Remember the scene from “You’ve Got Mail” where that bumbling shop assistant asks for the spelling of the author’s name? Duh!!
And anyways, the bookstores are stacking up more of accessories and games and toys than titles, and even then just the popular ones.
Forget nurturing reading as a pleasurable activity, it’s important for the cognitive and critical thinking abilities of the children.
The more they read, the more they learn, be able to think and comprehend, analyse, develop their creativity.
And now with AI looming ominously over their heads, it seems like a losing battle. And I’m saying this from experience; it isn’t just nostalgia but real consequence of not reading.
My 9 year-old students have hardly read a few books, but they know the details – thanks to AI. And when I ask them to write a composition, my heart sinks faster than the Titanic.
Reading and reading-related activities must be encouraged at schools and homes. The first few years of schooling must focus on building these skills rather than introducing new concepts.
Once the foundations are strong, the learning will be faster.
Let’s begin this year with a fresh resolve to read more (I intentionally didn’t say ‘new’ and chose ‘fresh’). If we read more, it’ll be easier to motivate the children to read more.
Don’t make it your New Year resolution; they’ve a way of disappearing after a few days. Make it an intentional choice.
Exchange books, give them as gifts, start a book club, think of activities based on books (book reading, skits, scene enacts, etc).
As for me, I’m going to get back to my old ways and find a book to keep me company always .. And everywhere!
