The Books That Grew with Me
“From Nancy Drew and school-library periods to the beginning of Pages with Saumya.”
Around Class 9 or 10, there was one school period I never wanted to end—the library period. At that age, I could not have explained exactly why. Perhaps it was the quietness of the library, the freedom to choose something for myself, or simply the excitement of discovering what was waiting inside the next book.
My reading began with comics, magazines, and newspapers. Gradually, those shorter pieces led me towards fictional novels. I still remember picking up my first Nancy Drew mystery. It was fiction, but it made reading feel like an adventure. I became curious about every clue, every character, and every unanswered question. One mystery led to another, and I continued moving through the Nancy Drew series.
As I grew older, that interest in mysteries developed into a love for thrillers, suspense, and authors such as Stephen King. With time, my reading changed as I changed. Fiction gradually made space for nonfiction. Self-help books introduced me to personal growth, business books encouraged me to think differently about careers and decisions, and books about meditation and spirituality invited me to slow down and look inward. My interests continue to evolve, and I believe that journey is still far from complete.
Even today, there is no single reason why I pick up a book.
Sometimes, it is the excitement of buying a new bookmark or opening a new book. Sometimes, it is my curiosity and craving for knowledge. At other times, reading becomes a much-needed digital detox—a quiet space away from screens, notifications, and the constant noise around us. And sometimes, it begins with nothing more than the first page, the introduction, or one sentence that makes me want to continue.
Whatever the reason, once I connect with a good book, I slowly become absorbed in its world. But for me, reading is not only about getting lost in a book. It is also about discovering something that I can carry back into my own life.
It could be one line, one chapter, one activity, one phrase, or one person’s story. I try to understand how that lesson might apply to a professional challenge, a personal decision, a relationship, or simply the way I see myself and the world around me.
There are books we finish and place back on the shelf. Then there are books that quietly remain with us. Sometimes, it is not the entire book that changes our thinking. It may be one sentence that reaches us at the right moment, one story that helps us understand our own situation, or one idea that encourages us to make a different choice.
Over the years, I have found myself collecting these sentences. Some are saved in notebooks, some are highlighted inside books, and others remain in my memory because of how deeply they connected with a particular moment in my life.
Reading gives me a kind of satisfaction that is difficult to explain. Sometimes it feels like meditation. Sometimes it brings happiness, clarity, comfort, or a fresh sense of possibility. A good book allows me to be still while continuing to grow.
That continuing journey—from a school library and Nancy Drew to books about careers, leadership, business, life, meditation, and spirituality—eventually became the inspiration for Pages with Saumya.
This is where I hope to share not only what I read, but what stays with me after I close the book—and what happens when I try to live those lessons beyond the page. 📖
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