Friday, October 7, 2011

What 5 books have influenced you the most?


I've lived with books since I was a kid.  I was lucky enough to have parents who showered us with reading materials -- children's books, illustrated comics, 'condensed books', Reader's Digest, Women magazine, Liwayway, and volumes of encyclopedia.  

We also had reel tapes of audio recorded fairy tales and nursery rhymes, Greek mythology and bible stories.  While nowadays, you will find cassette tapes, CDs, and even DVDs easily in any store in your neighborhood, but in the 60s these did not even enter our imagination.  During those years, a reel tape recorder/player was considered a luxurious item since nobody among my friends in our hometown had experienced listening to stories being read by someone they haven't seen nor met before. 

Over the years books became my constant companion, some of which I've re-read at least for the second time.  I have selected what I consider the most influential ones as these were able to shape and change the way I view things in life.

1.  Heidi

I've read this book when I was in grade school. I love sitting in one corner of our house where nobody can disturb me as I got so caught up with this story of a young girl who grew up with her grandparents somewhere in the Alps. 

At that time I didn't know why I loved this book so much.  It was several years later that I began to realize the reason for this: Heidi, the main character in the story, had similar experiences to what I had in my growing up years.  I cried with her and also laughed at funny episodes in this book.  While it may have been a fiction story but for me, it was all so real.  The snow-covered mountains, the goats, and everything else in this book were all real.  This book kept me company in those lonely nights of being away from my family who were in Manila at that time.


This book found me sometime in 1999, a time when I was in a crossroad on what to do with my career and how to go about with my life.  This book helped me know more about what made me happy, what things I want to accomplish, and what I really want to become.  It contained several exercises to help you go through this process until you become more acquainted with what the author is talking about, that making a difference can really make a difference in your life.  I love that moment when I was able to come up with my own Personal Mission Statement after going through layers of uncovering my inmost dreams, values, and desires in life.  

Up to this moment, I still go back to crafting my Weekly Plan as a guide on how to go about each day of the week.  But sometimes I forget to do this.  The moment I feel 'lost' and seem to be just going through the motions of life, that's my signal to reconnect with my Mission Statement and draw up a Weekly Plan once again.


If you have read this book probably you would agree when I say that this is one hell of an adventure story.  But after reading the first few chapters, I came to realize that there was so much more to the main story line that can make you stop and think whenever there are parallel stories that makes each insight resonate inside your being.  

I've shared this book with other friends several times.  It's nice to know that even if this book is not returned back, I am often told that the friend I've lent it to has also lent it to another friend, and that other friend also lent it to another friend.  I think I have bought three copies of this book already and I kept the 3rd copy with me, as reading it on New Year's eve has become part of my rituals.


As I have often mentioned in my other blog posts, I have been a journal writer since I was in high school.  Writing journals served me different purposes: it acted as a 'spleen' where I can pour all my anguish and sorrow; a dear friend who would listen attentively to anything and everything I write on it.

This book showed me many ways of appreciating my journal collections by teaching me how to uncover the underlying thread that connects several stories I have written.  That even a blank page with only the date on it still had a lot of stories being told...that all I need to do is to find time to remember the details, and continue with the story that was unwritten at that particular time. 

I am sure other journal writers would also love this book. 

5. ... I guess I will take a pause here first as I am still trying to select the 5th book to include in this list.  I intend to update this post the moment I have selected which among my other favorite books it will be. 

Perhaps you may want to check on the links I have provided for each book.  All you have to do is hover your cursor on the book title, click on it and that should take you to a site that provides some background information about the book. 

Thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post.

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