Love

In my spare time I read books. It’s one of my hobbies that I can’t push back even if how busy I am. Books have always been my company – when I am alone and when I felt alone (this happened in the distant past).

Before I got my residency here in Oz, I always drag my husband to the 2nd hand book shop. Reading can be an expensive hobby but if you play your cards right, it doesn’t have to. I’ve just been buying seconds even when I was in the Philippines – you just have to give more time and effort looking for the latest published books.

When I got my “go signal”, I applied for a library card (it really didn’t occur to me to get my husband sign up in the local library for me). Since then, I’ve borrowed more than 200 books. I don’t go for just one genre – I have fiction, non-fiction, light, drama, heavy, etc.
And I’m currently reading “Love as a way of life” by Gary Chapman. I picked that book without knowing who Gary Chapman is. After reading a couple of pages, I found out that I read one of his books before, the Five Languages of Love. Although, I had not really digest that book.

The Five Languages of Love is sort of an idea, a fact, a lesson to teach us but it doesn’t explain how to show those languages and that’s how the “Love as a way of life” was born – that’s how I get it. The book for me is an action book. It has stories of a number of people who demonstrates those languages and the ways of showing love – not just for your partner but for everybody.

The book is my train-travel mate but it seems not appropriate to read it in public. Every time I open it and after reading a few pages, I always have to close my eyes, take a deep breath and try to contain my emotions and swallow back the tears. Sometimes, I really can’t stop a tear or two to pop out my eyes. It’s embarrassing to cry in public (or even to laugh if you are alone).

I read several books that have made impressions on me, that left footprints in my mind and heart but not too strong that I have not been actively practising or using it. Yet, “this book” is teaching me a lot already that I am practising it while I’m in the processing of reading it (process as it last for a week or two).

I don’t know how to make a credible book review and I’m not going to try now. All I want to say is if you have time go check out “this book”. You might find it as interesting as I do.