TALE OF A BOOKSHELF

 

Sometimes it is so heartwarming to see simple and productive works by people around us. There is neither any pomp and splendor nor any grandeur in such dedicated creations some do. In fact, many won’t even recognize any kind of amazement to be offered for their effort. But the truth is, for the person who did it with passion, it means the whole world. For them, it brings tears and a sense of achievement every time they see it. They see the beauty in their work, they find it flawless and perfect in all sense. They feel a certain kind of peace when viewing their prize which might seem so trivial and unworthy of attention for many others.

One of my friends shared an experience about a simple piece of work she did with passion. Creating a tiny bookshelf and stacking them with few books was a dream come true for her. Even though finding an old wooden structure, painting it with a plain color and turning it into a bookshelf was not a very challenging work, it did require a small amount of effort and patience to finally see a buried dream come true. She was creating a space for her own in a room shared with her siblings. In her words, the very sight of the bookshelf in a corner gave her a space to read and reflect, to sit quietly and ponder about various things. This work is motivating her to a great extent to collect more books and moving onto being a voracious reader. I could feel a great wave of happiness in her voice as she spoke about what she referred to as a ‘not-a-big-deal’ creation. But the tone of joy couldn’t be missed!

In the current arena where customized and expensive decors and shelves are showcased in golden lamped homes, this tiny effort by my friend might hold the lowest position in terms of beauty and attractiveness. Moreover, it was just a casual story of a simple work she shared like any other conversations we have. But I was moved, so deeply, considering the intensity of dedication and passion she upheld to create something like this, which again might be nothing as compared to the media portrayals of amazing artifacts we see every day in our lives. Just like how the efforts of a milkman delivering milk every day at our doorsteps is often not considered as a job that requires a great deal of effort, we have our own perceptions of what is considered as a ‘worthy of attention’ task and what is not.

Every tiny effort is real, it is meaningful, it means a lot, it completes us in a way we can’t imagine. As for my friend, I wanted her efforts to be recognized because it did mean a lot to me.  

Sometimes we are oblivious to all the simple happenings around us, efforts that always go unrecognized, hard labours that are limited to just pays! But being a mindful about the plain things around us creates beauty and even unfold new lessons! I would love to read any such experiences you encountered, if you would like to drop some here:)!