I finally finished my case report that was due the week before, last saturday. It wasnt exactly a big thing (and it isnt even completely over - i only submitted a draft) but somehow felt like something big was off my shoulders. N i also managed to finish some errands that were pending for weeks.So was chilling out at home in the evening after veena class.
My brother just happened to be back from the bookshop where he had bought two story books. My sister n bro haf been recently recommending some good books to read but i always find myself not being able to get through my medical reading, not to mention story books. Which is something that I felt was really sad cos reading is one of those things I've always loved doing. Nothing beats a quiet sunday afternoon spent in the comforts of your couch at home with a book in hand. Somehow such moments are a rareity these days. I think the last book that I read was Jody Piccoult's Handle with care. N even that was such interrupted reading during my trip to India.
Anyway, my brother had bought 2 books by Nicholas Sparks and that got my sister like really excited. I hadnt read any books of this author before. Since there was so much of excitement about his books n i finally felt like i had some time in hand, I asked my sis for her recommendation. And she told me to read 'A walk to remember'
So that was how I ended up with this book. I must say, the first page n first paragraph really got my interest n i started reading.....
At the end of it, I was lost for words..... The book was simply magical..... It's a very simple, plain love story that was written in a way that rocks you from within..... It was not one of those Daniel Steel kind of boisterous, passionate romance novels but a very very simple, plain but absolutely moving story.
The author mentioned in the first paragraph, 'First you will smile, then you will cry - dont say you haven't been warned.' N true enough, that's exactly what the book did to me. I continued reading it on sunday, whenever i had sometime in the midst of my very decent call. Everytime i went to see a new admission or to do some reviews, I couldnt wait to get back to the room to get on with the book..... I finally finished it today, post call before i went off to sleep..... And as i finished the book, I could feel the tears trickling down.....
I guess the book meant even more because of where I am right now. Where I see how short and how unpredictable life is on a daily basis. Where I see how people cling on to the thinnest ray of hope n hang on in spite of all the suffering that they go through. N where i see true love sometimes - couples who are there for each other, who go all out to ensure that their spouses, who in the medical point of view had reached a point of no return, are comfortable and not in pain or suffering. Spouses who are at the bedside of a comatose patient 24/7, talking n laughing n crying with their better halves as if they were right there listening to them, spouses who truly are around in sickness and in health, until death does them part.
A walk to remember - truly tugs at your heartstrings.....
