Ruskin Bond’s Stories from My Heart is one of the best books I have ever read. Bond has written about his experiences about living life, following one’s passion, explorations, adventures, discoveries, taking risks, nature, family, love, and attachment. Bond is very fond of nature and is deeply connected with the small, tiny things around him. He has a great skill for observing even the smallest things like wildflowers, grasses, bees, owls, cats, springs, trees, and many more.
Bond writes about his journey as an emerging writer, while also encouraging readers to be passionate about the interests they have and to fulfil their dreams. The journey might be tough, like climbing mountains, but one should not stop chasing one’s dreams until one achieves success. He talks about living a life that is creative and exploratory, about the philosophy of life, not too little and not too much, to care, love, and get attachment towards the things that matter to us.
One thing I am taking away from this book is that we should not be afraid of following what we truly love. The path may not always be easy, but the journey becomes meaningful when we are doing something that makes us happy. Bond’s journey as a writer shows that following one’s passion is not always about reaching a destination; it is also about enjoying the journey, exploring, taking chances, and learning along the way.
The reader is transported to Landour, with its blue skies, the curvy, narrow roads, pine trees, colourful wildflowers, greenery, good food, mesmerizing sunsets, shining stars at night, and a space with no chaos like that of big cities. While reading this book, I could connect it with the beautiful hill stations of Madhya Pradesh’s Pachmarhi and Tamia. When Bond writes about plum trees, about varieties of scented flowers, the small yellow flowers, every nature-related experience that has been written here, they evoke long-forgotten memories in the reader’s mind.
Very often we ignore the small and beautiful things around us because we are always busy with our routine. Bond’s way of looking at nature makes one realize how a flower, a tree, a bird, or even a simple breeze can hold a beautiful memory if we take a moment to notice it.
The book is graphically well designed, with a comic-like setup, like an anime. The art, design, colours of the landscape, with sky blue, shades of green, snowy mountains, and bright flowers, and the descriptions in the story all make the book beautiful and lively.
Stories from My Heart is not just a book; it is a conversation with someone who is telling the reader to slow down, look around, follow dreams, and find happiness in simple things.