Tuesday, November 16, 2010

The Book I Could Have Written - or The Revelation I had in the Bathroom


This is not a confession of someone who desperately wants to write a book.
I don't want to write a book (not now, not here, not yet, not in English...).
There are people out there who should write and I am more than happy when I can enjoy their writing and their efforts: thanks, good job, I feel inspired and happy and motivated.

Anyway: if I had to choose a book I might write (or have written), what would it be about?
Probably about bathrooms. Beautiful bathrooms.
Or simply restrooms. 
...Maybe with a chapter or two about hamam and ofuro (お風呂).

There are books though, which kind of fall in my hands  - that's the ultimate divine (cloud swallowing light) bookstore experience - at the perfect time, when you just needed them.
To make it clearer, I don't believe in "the latest, the greatest" when it comes to books; I read what I feel I need to read.
So, I happen to find a book I haven't read yet and I totally have a revelation: suddenly everything is clear to me, suddenly I know who I am and what I want (basically everything - let's admit it) and my understanding of the world is radically changed. 
Books (different books in different moments of my life) are like intense meditation to me. 
Do you have a similar experience with books?
Or is there a special activity that helps you cope with the doubts and troubles of your mind?