A Handy Mind

Have you ever smelt a book before?I feel like heaven when I do.Whether its an old one or a new one,Whether its a novel or a text book,it doesn't matter.Usually connoisseur of food says,a good food is known by its smell,taste and how it looks.I think books also come under the same roof.I used to smell the books when I get my hands on it.
My first book was a "Picture book" presented by my aunt.Of all my aunts,she is an one special person to me.I think she had bribed me by giving a colorful book.:).My love towards books started from there.Many people are responsible for my reading habit.I studied in a Matriculation school till my fifth std.In those days,during the summer vacation,my dad used to get the next year CBSE syllabus books from his colleague.I read all those books with such enthusiasm.I wasnt able to understand the terms,but I simply loved to read it.I have been presented with more and more Color books,Picture books,Handwriting books,Moral stories from my dear ones.I preferred books than toys.I have got the habit of going to the library from my 7th std.I got it from my cousin.I always get excited when I enter a library.I always experience a warmth when books surround me.My selection of books varied from time to time.I read every book that comes across me.I always regret that I don't have any specifications in reading.But still I m happy that my horizon is bigger.I could reach to the different,enthralling edges of it.I have got many friends who love books n an equal number of friends who dont even have the time to think about reading a book.
Again,an article in Ananda Vikatan on the habit of reading books touched me a lot.The author's friend who was a librarian got frustrated,since no one was interested to come to the library and he atlast put all his collections in a box and kept it on a road.He left a note saying "these books are for free,anyone could take it"But after a couple of days,he noticed not even half of the books have gone even its clearly mentioned its totally free.He got depressed a lot and quit his passion.People are neither ready to read a book even when its free nor to have the slightest idea to even touch it.

I used to notice,the libraries are usually very free,when compared to the restaurants and movie theatres...Its really pathetic to see.The people who go berserk about their caste,religion,their favorite actors dont go berserk when a library is closed forever.I dunno how many of us know whether we have a library in our city.A person can be easily guided to a entertainment center in a totally new place.But how many people can guide us to a library?In a selfish manner,I am convinced that people have many other works to do,so that I can enjoy reading the books in a library in a serene environment!
And about magazines...We can see a lot of stuffs are just gossips and tidbits about the cine field.I used to read two tamil magazines,One is ok,the other one is the worst.There is always a page where the readers can ask questions to a particular person.In the first book,its really interesting with 90% useful things.But in the other book,It would be a surprise,if I havent seen a single question asking about some actress or an useless thing.
I wouldnt be able to remember every name of the characters from the book I read.But I would certainly remember the pleasure in reading it.I would love to listen to the voices of the book.A soft and a beautiful voice,that always sounds good.There is always an appreciation for the best things.Books would always have that constant appreciation.But the strange thing is Good books are not advertised.There are people who passionately search for those books.And I would love to be one among them.
According to me," A Book is a Mind that always comes Handy". :)