Bishnu Sharma
“It was like a sunrise breaking through the clouds.”
READING! YOU are the CHANGE! READ today and appreciate tomorrow!
I remember the day I discovered reading—it’s been a decade now. From the tiny walls of the primary school library room to the majestic hall of college library, my reading journey has grown from a small seed into a gigantic tree. I was a restless child, bouncing off the walls, unable to find peace—neither in people nor in games. I wandered from one class to another, searching for something meaningful, but nothing ever held my attention.
Then, one day, a worn and long-forgotten book titled Let Me Live: A Tale of an Old Tortoise landed in my hands, tossed by a naughty third grader upset because it had rained and he couldn’t play. Reluctantly, I opened it—and the world transformed. Suddenly, I could understand the language of animals. I longed to meet the old tortoise fighting for his freedom, wishing to live outside the cage, not to be tortured like a clown.
It felt like a sunrise breaking through the darkest clouds, clouds heavy with an approaching storm. The pages weren’t just filled with words—they were portals to suffering, pain, and hope. I sat there, flipping page after page, and suddenly, the four walls around me disappeared. I was surrounded by the tortoise’s melancholy, his grief and remorse. I cursed the heartless mankind that kept him caged.
Again, it read: “It was like a sunrise breaking through the clouds.”
The story was more than just a tortoise’s fight for freedom—it was about the boundless possibilities beyond our limited thinking. Though physically restrained, the tortoise traveled through worlds in his mind, filled with hope that he would one day be reunited with his family. Not by chance, but by the strength of his will.
Through his eyes, I journeyed to lush green meadows, tasted sweet wild berries, and felt the forest wind. Each page pulled me deeper into a world where imagination had no limits—a world where hope flourished even behind bars. I realized that the cage wasn’t just around the tortoise; we build our own cages with fear and doubt. But books, like this tale, are the keys to unlocking our minds and exploring the vast landscapes of our inner selves.
That book planted the seed of my love for reading. Now, whenever I feel confined, bored, or drained, I reach for a book. It reminds me that even when life feels restrictive, the sunrise of imagination waits to break through the clouds. Like the old tortoise, we can find freedom and beauty within pages, letting our minds soar—despite feeling blue, it’s never the end.
So READING is the power we all have. Let us embrace it, understand all sentient beings, and travel through worlds of joy, sorrow, and adventure together. FLIP once, FLIP twice, and you’re in the world of READING!