Perhaps
to almost anybody's mind's eye, reading is an activity usually done in a place
conducive for doing so, say, in the comfort of one's own room or in the
library. The ideal place to read would
be a space where there is a sturdy yet cozy, comfortable chair, an uncluttered
desk, an ample source of light, a calm ambiance, and a noise-free environment.
I,
for one, prefer to read in a place where I would not be disturbed; definitely
some place without noise---a place where I could commune, through the printed
word, with the author of the book I am reading.
Alas,
not all the time one could find the perfect space wherein to read, let alone
the time to read. There are times when most of us would have to make do with
less-than-desirable “reading spaces.”
As
an avid reader, and a reader in pursuit of finding the ideal space or place to
read, I have constantly made mental notes of the places wherein I caught myself
and other people reading in.
There
are those who read in gardens. A garden is a cool (literally and figuratively)
place to do one's reading. Aside from the ambiance, communing with nature is
also good for the soul (not to mention the health). It is hitting two birds
with one stone: feeding the mind and feeding the soul. An added bonus:if
the garden has a fabulous view. One could almost feel the words of William
Blake: “To see the world in a grain of sand, and heaven in a wildflower;
hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour.” But
gardens are rare in the city, so (especially for city-dwellers) alternative
“reading spaces” have to be explored.
One
such alternative are the malls. (I am one of those who do my reading in malls;
as a matter of fact, I both read and, occasionally, do my writing in malls.)
For some, a mall may not be a conducive place wherein to read. For others,
nothing beats reading at the malls: free aircondition, almost anything within
easy reach for that quick bite or quick caffeine fix, and a perfect place to
ogle at people if the highly-recommended book is not that nifty after all.
If
one could read in malls, then logically one could read in coffee shops. The
ambiance in coffee shops is more conducive for reading than in malls. Unless,
of course, the coffee shop is located inside the mall, in which case it makes
no difference than reading inside the mall itself.
Not
everybody though could do his or her reading in malls or in coffee shops. Doing
so requires expending money which would be better spent on buying another good
book than on an overpriced café au lait or on a P100-plus slice of tiramisu.
Such
restrictions bring us to the more pedestrian places where people read.
Some
people read in public parks. As I see it, reading in such places is quite an
ordeal. Distractions include ants, mosquitoes, vagrants, and peripatetic
evangelists (yes, these enumeration belong in the same category). What a bummer
to be in the throes of climax of a Dan Brown novel when without warning the
public system blares on “Pinoy Ako” and the rest of humanity flail around you!
For
some people on the go and catching up on their reading, buses, jeepneys, the
MRT and LRT are the preferred “reading room-on-wheels.” This is practical for
some. Aside from catching up on their reading as previously mentioned, reading
while commuting eases the boredom and take one's mind off the traffic. But if
you love your cellphone, jewelry, watch, and other personal belongings, this is
not a good idea after all.
So
there, different “reading spaces” for different folks. Anybody could do one's
reading practically anywhere. Wherever you are, whoever you are, the most
important thing is to keep the passion for reading alive!
[This was written a few years ago. I found it in my journal.]
No comments:
Post a Comment