To the Beautiful Shores!

Reading is possibly one of the best practices to embrace for any living soul. If you are an avid reader, there is no way in the world you will have witnessed absolute boredom. You will love your own company and any other activities are just a bonus to satiate your spirit. I have been away from being a bibliophile for some time now, nearly 10 years! During my MBA days, I got to the habit of being a couch potato instead – while always musing about getting back to the books. After continuous twists and twirls in life (MBA, first job, marriage, London), I am at peace (finally) to engage myself with the world of books, again!  

So, after a long time, on a fine sunny Sunday afternoon, I thought of reading a book which I bought months ago at St. Pancras, London. It was recommended by the Telegraph and had good reviews on the internet. The book was called – The hourglass by Tracy Rees.

The book talks about 2 stories in parallel, past and the present – life of a girl (mother per the plot) in her teens with a rush to enter into adulthood and of a girl (daughter in the story) in her 40s exploring herself. The description goes very detailed while ensuring ceaseless captivation of the readers’ attention. Best part of the book was 'Tenby', a small coastal place in the south of Wales. I had never been to Tenby but it reminded me of all the serene coastal places in the UK.

UK beaches always had this atmospheric aura which created instant belongingness to the place. I had been to places like Llandudno, Colwyn, Dorset, Cornwall, Isle of Skye, Inverness and they all had the same feeling. I am exactly not sure what makes you perceive this sudden nostalgia but it is an absolute bliss to be by yourself in an un-manicured nature’s company. I had been to other beaches in the world but nothing created this magical sensation, so far - although they had their own charms!

Lake District

Cornwall

Dorset

Inverness

Isle of Skye

Llandudno

While reading the book, I could completely visualize the sweet, contented and tranquil experience leading to a tangible and distinctive imagination – aroma of the marshy cliffs, stony beaches, windy ambience and rhythmic percussion of waves. Sunny day + sandy beach + wine is a great combination for a perfect getaway from all the day to day routinal activities and emotions. Sometimes it’s not only a delight but a mandatory requirement to let go of things in life. In the midst of Paris, a buzzing city, I could find peace just pondering over the times I had to been to these places – such was the beautiful impact!

Although this blog started off talking about the pleasure of reading books, the true message I would like to convey is the necessity to find that idyllic and undisturbed place for your inner self. There is really none but you who can feel the essence of yourself and unfortunately, very often you are lost in the worldly nuances. It is essential to take time out to explore and figure out this absolute peace because everyone is busy these days but I am not sure if that would necessarily translate to happiness or worse the opposite!

As always, to end with a beautiful quote…

The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has its storms, it has its tides and in its depths it has its pearls too…

- Vincent Van Gogh