Wow, it’s been a while since I posted book-related piece.
It’s a long holiday here in Indonesia, and I am glad that I can have a break. I was highly intrigued to touch more on my observational analysis mode. Thinking that I have enough time. But, somehow it was just not clicked this week. I don’t think it’s a problem of motivation or anything. It’s just a bit of realization that I need to really spend more time with my closed ones rather than spend my time tinkering. Things have been good and fine to me lately, and I think it’s also good to observe the real world for awhile and away from numbers.
The past six-months had been busy for me and some changes of roles on the job makes it more challenging to juggle between works and personal matters. I observed that I had a hard time finishing a book in the past few months as well. This week I am grateful that I can try to delve a little bit into fiction again. It’s also great that this book was on discount on Kindle store this month. I picked What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama, translated by Alison Watts. It’s also a good feeling to continue my literary journey of Japanese writer, especially female writer.
It’s a fun exploration on the relationship within life questions (in various phases) with a library. When was the last time we visit and borrow books from library? When was the last time we try to be curious?
It’s quite a light read that somehow I think can be a great short omnibus film. Because, all the stories in this novel are somehow interconnected by the library inside Hatori Community House in Tokyo. There are stories about a girl questioning joy in her works, a middle-aged man in a conundrum of quitting his job to make a new life, a lady in her late 30s struggling on her life after maternity leave, an aspiring artist in the process of trying to make his way, and a newly retired man trying to make sense of the world after decades of being salaryman.
Every stories evolve around a relatable questions, worries, and doubts about their own life. Most of the characters were not going into the library on purpose. But, it feels like life guides them to come there and have a warm interaction with Sayuri Komachi the librarian.
In some ways, maybe the stories are a little bit into the “positive vibes” spectrum. But, the wisdom were not to be taken lightly. Inside the stories, there are some reminders that felt real that any actions we take, any decision we choose, might not be a smooth road along the way.
I think it’s a good book to accompany us to pause. In one of the stories, there is this line:
You told me that if you only ever look in front, your view will be quite narrow. So, whenever I feel stuck or don’t know what to do, I try to broaden my view. Relax my shoulders and walk sideways like a crab.
The stories are also put a subtle reminder on taking our journey with less judgmental view. One of my favorites highlight emphasize this:
Life is one revelation after another. Things don’t always go to plan, no matter what the circumstances. But the flip side is all the unexpected, wonderful things that you could never have imagined happening. Ultimately, it’s all for the best that many things don’ turn out the way we hoped. Try not to think of upset plans or schedules as personal failures or bad luck. If you can do that, then you can change, in your own self and in your life overall.
I feel it’s also a fitting theme for Eid spiritualism. There has been quite some questions wandered around: when was the last time we forgive ourselves? It’s not about repeating the same mistakes. But, to acknowledge it and truly learn from it.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable book that I think worth to be revisited over. We might never know what perspective it will show us in another visit.
So, what are you looking for?
Maybe, going around is worth to try for.
Everybody is connected. And any one of their connections could be the start of a network that branches in many directions. If you wait for the right time to make connections, it might never happen, but if you show your face around, talk to people and see enough to give you the confidence that things could work out, then ‘one day’ might turn into ‘tomorrow’.
