Issue No. 24

During my childhood, I diligently saved my lunch allowance to purchase science books from the bookstore at the local mall. This bookstore provided solace from the turbulent world of youth. While I enjoyed playing with friends, exploring abandoned lots, and enduring the relentless heat of the sun, I secretly cherished the tranquility of my reading time.

I'd sit in the hallways of the bookstore for hours, trying to decide which book to purchase for the week. I didn't want to regret my choice. Then, I'd go back home, giddily exuberant while holding the plastic bag containing my newest possession. Upstairs, I'd sit on a narrow terrace, smelling my grandma's overgrown plants. It was the only place where natural sunlight would reveal the miraculous pages of my book. There, I'd spend hours suspended in a sunbeam, overlooking the passersby who might have noticed my neck straining through the spaces between the terrace's balustrade as I delved into the pictures and words that first touched my eyes.

At that moment, nothing mattered but knowledge.

It was as if my brain shut down every department and focused on a single pixel of my eye fixated on the new information I was learning. I loved learning, and I still do. That's something that has remained tenacious in me. I can't help but learn. That's probably why I keep searching for something to do even though I'm already preoccupied with many things. But seemingly basic activities like this are what make me feel alive. "Merak" is a Serbian word that means the feeling of bliss or oneness with the universe that comes from simple pleasure. Reading, to me, is a simple pleasure that brings me closer to myself and to the world. For others, it could be a simple walk in the park, a stroll at night, an ice cream on a hot summer day, the sound of waves at the sea, the melancholic rainfall on a gloomy morning, the first bite of a delicious cookie, or the hug of a loved one you haven't seen in a long time. Simple pleasures like these can mean a lot to us if we take the time to observe their value.

You see, life can be simple and beautiful this way. As long as you are economically stable, I don't see the need to greedily pursue more. As long as you're mentally and physically healthy due to your current routine, there's probably no need to attend more meditation retreats or spend more time in the gym. This isn't to discourage you from seeking change or improvement but to create space and clarity in your life so you can attend to more significant events.

I hope everybody reads not just for the sake of learning or entertainment but for the peace that comes with it. Reading teaches you not just the content of what you are reading but the simplicity of life—the realization that bliss can come from as simple an activity. When you read, you don’t regret the past or worry about the future. You’re just in the present. Every time I read something productive, I become a better, more eloquent person. I understand the world better, and therefore, I appreciate it more deeply.

However, reading comes with a burden: once the mind is awakened, exposed to the truth, and fine-tuned to understand the world, it can never return to its former slumber. A mind, once awakened, can never sleep the same way again.