Spice of Life: Sorting my library to turning over new leaf

My library now looks neat but that’s how life is – the old, sometimes, has to be given away to make space for new. This doesn’t indicate reduced respect for anything but just an openness to change.

Eventually, the day came. I was strictly instructed by my family to donate books from my library that I had already read. As a psychologist, I advocate de-cluttering, in fact both internally (rising above negative thought patterns) and externally (discarding the-never-to-be-used-again items). But, while the former does come spontaneously to me to an extent, I am learning (and re-learning) how to actually and practically do the latter. So, the sorting of the library was both a tough and educative experience for me, made mandatory by my family.

Eventually, the day came. I was strictly instructed by my family to donate books from my library that I had already read. As a psychologist, I advocate de-cluttering, in fact both internally (rising above negative thought patterns) and externally (discarding the-never-to-be-used-again items). (Representational image)

And, memories flooded each bit of the way. For instance, there was a period back in my school days, when getting slam books filled by friends had become quite trendy. My library has always contained not just books, but those slam books, restaurant menus, electronic gadgets manuals, school text books, and a correspondence-course books joined on a whim, too – other than novels, self-help and psychology reads, biographies, short-stories books. These slam books have the provision for one page devoted to each friend/family member who fills in details, such as the name, favourite song, happiest moment, and lines for the owner of the slam book. And not the one to inflate my ego ever – my father had written under ‘Lines for you: – Enough is enough’.

In any case, the sorting of my beloved library wasn’t an easy task. I have a no-dislike syndrome, which made it further complicated to sort and let go of any part of the collection, for I liked and loved every (even) small or so-called inconsequential bit of it. However, it did help when my bhabhi said, “Didi, to make space for new books, you’ll have to let go of at least some old ones.”

With new-found inspiration, I continued the cleaning spree. I would look at each cover page fondly – some still bright and intact, while others had faded. Like we sometimes sit down to turn the pages of old picture albums, the old books reminded me of my reading journey – both speedy and slow, regular and irregular. The whiff of some books had changed over time. And then it occurred to me that someday I would so love to share my story, experiences and thoughts in a book. Someday I, too, would love to be remembered by the journey that my words would hopefully take the reader into. But, that’s a different story; so, I continued the sorting process that was already having a positive impact on me. Some words I had once read came to my mind: In the battle between your heart and your head, sometimes it’s totally worthwhile to just listen to the soul. I kept some books, I let go of some, and it was fine. While parting, there was a solace – we had found a small local library and were going to donate the two huge bags of books there.

Undoubtedly, my library now looks neat (perhaps a tad too neat) but that’s how life is – the old, sometimes, has to be given away to make space for new. This doesn’t necessarily indicate reduced respect for anything but just an openness to change.

As luck would have it, I recently found a place where books can be taken on rent; so now I won’t have to go through the agony of parting with treasures again.

The writer is a Jagadhri-based freelance contributor. She can be reached out at reemaban@gmail.com