Be Whole

Books are to me what protein is to a muscle man.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve hoped that one day I would have a personal library – a room filled with racks and racks of books extending to the ceiling.For more reason than just sniffing books because I can’t resist the smell of an old book, but I’d banked on the idea that having a personal library of all the books I’d ever read, would stand as a symbol of my appreciation of them, as well as a symbol of my intellect.

So, a few days ago, I decided that I am going to give most of my jewels away. Here’s four reasons why:

To travel light
They’re heavy, fragile and inconvenient to carry. And if you know a story like the back of your hand, you probably won’t bother picking up that book again. Give it a new owner and you’ll be thanked for it. Also, I when I die, I’d like to leave as little material things behind ( something I’ll be sharing in a later post).

To share knowledge
Everyone knows that knowledge is power, and that those who serve, rule. Don’t be afraid to share your stories with others because those people may have new books to share with you, affording you something new to learn.

To give back
We live in a me-centric time where everything is about what can be done for us and too little of what we can do for others. You’re really saving a tree when you give your old books away. Not to mention making space for new and intriguing reads.

For conversation starters
There’s nothing like finding a friend who likes the same book as you, and if you get really into it you could go on for hours discussing your favourite parts. It’s not enough to just read books, you need to bring them to life using your own words and actions; this will be a great way to make new friends and attract people with similar interests.

So tomorrow when you see me and I’m handing you a book, you’ll know the reason.

Please don’t go chucking your textbooks away or handing out things you’ve never read. That is not the point. Reflect on these four themes and join me if you’re keen or let me know what you think.
Lastly, don’t be too selective of who you give them to, someone you never thought would enjoy a certain book, may surprise you.