Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Joie d'un Livre


Castor Organic Carrier Oil (Organic Supply Co)
Book: French Women Don't Get Facelifts (Big Bad Wolf)

If I should say thank you for all the privileges and values which my parents have been giving me since I was a child, a post might be not enough. But if you asked me instantly to mention just one which I think is giving me the most benefit along me growing up, it is the way they introduce me to my encounter with books. 

My mom said that I have been introduced to book since I was born, but of course I could not remember that. As long as I can remember, it started with my dad buying me a series of international tales, some of them are The Sleeping Beauty, The Three Little Pig, and The Red Riding Hood, all books are beautifully wrapped in a castle like carton packaging. I read them everyday until I remember all of the stories from the series.

Then as I grew a little bit older, I started to be introduced to library and book stores so there I can pick the book I desired all by my self. Along my kindergarten my mom also bought me a children magazine once a month, which I waited impatiently because by the time I already finished the magazine, there were still so many days left before the next magazine would be delivered to our home. 

Along my elementary days, my parents taught me to save the money they give to me if I wanted to buy a book. So there I patiently saved half of my money which is given by my mom. Lately, when I rearrange my bookshelf to find some books to be donated, I found a bilingual book about Abunawas with my writing at the front page, stating the date I bought them and then I realized that I bought them when I was at the second grade of elementary school. A memory which is not very clear come to me then, I remember that it was a hard book to be understand because I just started learning english by that time.

Along my elementary days, I spent most of my break time in the school's library, reading fiction books, poetry books, and encyclopedia which I could not afford to buy at that time. So everytime I walk along the bookshelf in the library I feel so excited seeing so many books waiting to be read. 

Along my junior high school days, I started reading a more non fiction book, so then I knew a little bit about the world; the industrial revolution, the Hitler era, or exotic places along the globe like  Santorini until Maldives. I started reading a more non fiction book such as health book, so there I know that consuming too much carbohydrate is not really good to build a fit body shape and that eating the right protein, fiber, and healthy fats will help me having a more healthy body and thus, a more healthy brain. I lose my weight up to 15kgs after practicing those healthy diet and started to do excercise regularly, oh yes I was a fat fat girl back then. Nobody told me to have a better lifestyle, I learn and discover the best method by my self. And it all started from my love for reading.

Along my senior high school up to now, I started reading a more various kinds of book. From classic literatures such as Jane Austen's Emma or Thomas Hardy's Far From The Madding Crowd, fiction books with a touch of philosophy and reflection on life like Paulo Coelho's Like The Flowing River or Mitch Albom's Tuesday With Morrie, politic books like Nelson Mandela's Long Road to Freedom or Hywell Williams' The Speech of Our Times, quirky fiction books like Haruki Murakami's 1Q84, business books like Harvard's Business Review's Finance Basic for Managers, until woman and self empowerment books like Mireille Guiliano's French Women Don't Get Facelifts or Sophia Amoruso's Girl Boss. 

From book I know that I should have a better diet for the sake of my body and my brain. From book, today at the age of 24 I know that I should care for what is inside and what is outside as early as possible. Nothing worth having comes easy in this world, nothing that is instant give the best impact in this world. 

For what is outside: If I wanted to have a healthy face skin with a minimal aging appearance such as wrinkles or black spot, of course I should start the right treatment starting now, before those aging appearance are visible. And adding everything organic touch of course is a little bit better. So after reading Mireille Guiliano's French Women Don't Get Facelifts I started using oil as my routine skin care; argan oil and castor oil so far. Because from a lot of official research, it is found that they could trigger our skin to produce the right amount of elastin and collagen, thus the skin will have the ability to regenerate itself. 

For what is inside: From book I have been reminded that if I want to be happy and if I want my brain to be able to use its potential at its best, I have to be balance. Works, laugh, and love. Everything got to be in a balance state. From the way I have to still have something to pursue in work field, family and spouse which I should care of, social life with a positive and supportive friends, me time having a quality bubble bath every day or a spa every month, until an intimate routine conversation with God at the end of each day. I could fit the combination that works best for me in order to achieve a balance life. A book is always my saviour to remind me of those things once I stuck under stressful routines.

Then again, I could not say more gratitude toward my parents for introducing me to joie d'un livre, it really is helping my life and my mind, both are in order. 

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