World Book Day is more than just a day marked on calendars, it’s a global celebration of stories, imagination, and the timeless power of the written word. According to UNESCO, World Book Day was established on April 23rd in 1995 to promote reading, publishing, and the protection of intellectual property through copyright. The date holds symbolic significance as it commemorates the deaths of literary legends like William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes.
Books are not just ink on paper; they are mirrors, portals, teachers, and friends. Among all the books I’ve read, The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak remains my favorite. It’s one of those rare stories that doesn’t just entertain, it transforms you from within. The book beautifully captures the spiritual depth of Rumi’s teachings through a modern-day lens.
It’s not just about love in the romantic sense, but about divine love, self-discovery, and surrender. It weaves the mystical with the philosophical, the historical with the present, making you pause and reflect on life, purpose, and connection. That’s what books should be: depthful, spiritual, and philosophical.
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You are what you read
I genuinely believe that you are what you read. Like Haruki Murakami wisely said: “If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.” Just as food shapes your physical body, the media you consume shapes your mind and soul.
In an age where fast content floods our screens, making space for books that stretch your thinking and soften your heart is more important than ever. Whether it’s fiction that sparks empathy, or nonfiction that expands your worldview, every page you turn contributes to the person you’re becoming.
So, this World Book Day, may we not just celebrate books, but return to them. Revisit the stories that changed us, discover new ones that challenge us, and remember that in the end, it’s not just about reading more, but reading meaningfully.
And to end it off, I want to leave you with a quote by Mark Twain that I live by: “Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.“
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