On books

I was browsing in a book store today, when I wandered into the childrens aisle. To be honest it was surprising to see a childrens book section which actually had good books.

Where I come from, we had really, really good libraries, and I used to be a ‘reader’, pure and simple. Most of my childhood, I read and I read and I read. Not surprisingly, I was a fan of Enid Blyton and kind of finished most of her works before I crossed 10. Around that was when I bumped into a series called ‘Williams’ by the author Richmal Crompton. I fell in love. I would get caught in school laughing to myself on and off by indulgent friends who always did have a suspicion that I’d lost it.

So, while browsing, a ‘William’ book caught my eye. And, I had to have it.
How many of us have bought a book, a picture, a dvd movie because it somehow manages to take you to a happy place? I think it’s partly because that it’s a small but very private part of you and you want something tangible to hold it by. And it’s human nature to want to hoard your happy places, I guess!

Last week, I was reading this article on how your brain manages to lock in every single moment you’ve had, and how we regularly use only a small percent of that. The amazing thing was that this memory creation is an interplay of all the five senses, and olfactory, or the sense of smell is way on top. So, let’s say, you walk on the road and someone passes by wearing a perfume you know your mom used once upon a time. Chances are, you will be taken to that period in time with astonishing clarity, and most observers also feel that this is able to re-evoke your general feelings towards that period or person as a physical response in you. Not too clear? What that could mean is, you smell the perfume, you feel warm, you feel good, a bit nostalgic -- and you really want to talk to your mother! So, in a way I guess we all have brains that are hoarders, too!