Left-Handed Beginnings: A Journey Through Books and Self-Discovery
April 8, 2024โข414 words
Late at night, I found myself aimlessly scrolling through Instagram Reels when, out of nowhere, a guy appeared claiming that brushing your teeth with your left hand could transform your life. Being someone who's constantly seeking more from life, I thought, "Why not?" and decided to give it a try the following morning. Subsequently, while I was on my computer or phone, an advertisement for Ramit Sethi's book, "I Will Teach You To Be Rich," popped up. Initially dismissing it as sensationalist fluffโโI ended up buying the book, recalling how I had enjoyed his Netflix show. A few days into reading it, I stumbled upon a passage advising that if a single line from a book provides value, the purchase is justified. This resonated with me, as previously, I had only never hesitated to buy essentials like milk and coffee. This realisation led me to activate a long-neglected subscription to the Financial Times. Their newsletter recommended several books, and I impulsively decided to buy the entire list. Consequently, when a guy DMโd me on Instagram to sell his book, I responded with a screenshot of my purchase receipt. Just a few weeks later, I've ordered 26 books on a wide array of subjects I'd never normally consider, from the injustices faced by Native Americans to LGBT issues, business, economics, NATO, novels, war strategies, conspiracies, and longevity, among others.
What I've learned from this whirlwind of reading includes several enlightening insights: we're likely to live longer lives, and the significance of our workplace pales in comparison to the quality of our team; the train and telegraph were revolutionary inventions because they were unaffected by weather (weather used to hold progress back!); many esteemed American Presidents actually supported the annihilation of Native Americans (they had disagreements on how violent it should be); the wealthy often spend a considerable sum to conceal their wealth origins (especially when they want to become politicians); with the right approach, it's possible to earn millions by working only six hours a week; Amazon sometimes delivers damaged books; not all delivery personnel are courteous; and, while your dentist may not find anything wrong, your toothache is still a valid personal experience. However, believing you can defy gravity will only lead to a fatal reality. I also discovered that while we're poor at recognising people for who they truly are, we're surprisingly adept at identifying what truly matters to us. And, amidst these revelations, one timeless truth stood out: art's beauty is eternal.