Books that choose you

This week’s winner

MANILA, Philippines –  Jerome Galler-Pascual, 18, of Bulacan is a middle child, “encircled by my loving parents and two other brothers,” and an aspiring third-year Civil Engineering student of University of the Philippines–Diliman. He likes to read and travel in his spare time.

My favorite book and I met through fate. I’m 100-percent sure that what we had was more than just a “book-reader” relationship. Magical as it may sound, I think it was the book The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino that chose me to read it. The timing was simply perfect. Our paths entwined during my senior year in high school. During those times, I was heavily burdened by the demands of Student Council leadership, helpless with my sore academic standing, and freshly wounded by a broken love life. I was about to surrender and let the havoc just eat me up until one of my teachers learned about my situation. She was my literature teacher, and became one of my most supportive mentors in life. With the utmost desire to help me out, she called me one time to the faculty room after class. There she handed me a copy of a book with a note reading: “Jerome, I know you’re meant for greater heights. Please try to read this book.” Touched by the unexpected care from a teacher, all that came from my mouth was gratitude.

Upon returning home, I quickly leafed through the book’s introductory pages and was disappointed that the book was one of those overrated self-help materials. Sigh. Ashamed that my teacher’s efforts would end in nothing, I continued skimming the book with exasperating indifference. At first, I just considered the contents of the book trite. But as I paused long enough to read through its insights and reread it again — Wow! Every line seemed to shout at me and say: “Hey! Have a new life! You can start it with me!” That unexpected reading session pounced on me; the book conveyed its message to me point blank. I realized that it was not trite after all. This was what I needed all along. Until now, I thank my teacher for giving me such a priceless chance. For that chance tapped into me, made me believe in myself once more, and allowed me to be less cynical about life. The Greatest Salesman in the World taught me how to repackage myself from the abyss and tickled again my faculty of dreams. The main character in the book, Hafid the Greatest Salesman, seemed to jibe with my lowly situation. Guiding me out of my immaturity, the book showed me how to become more serious in pursuing my personal goals, and how to focus again on the essentials.

Every principle unveiled in each succeeding chapter enlightened me to the great possibilities that can be enjoyed by believing in one’s self. My favorite book gave me clear instructions on dealing with my personal dilemmas and shortcomings. From being stubborn, the book thought me how to effect change in my system, and gradually change for the better. I learned how to deal with complacency and procrastination; that the reward for good work is more work. From being heartbroken, it taught me to pursue all things with great enthusiasm and optimism; that we should always greet our days with love in our hearts, for it is the most powerful tool of life. That, as nature’s greatest miracles, we should always make it a point to multiply our values a hundredfold and be a gift to others. That success can only be anchored upon ourselves by personal judgments of how we attain it. Og Mandino’s book really gave me a blast of metanoia (change of heart), enabling me to dream further and reach unexpected heights. With his scrolls of advice, I managed to enter my dream university amid academic upset. With his guiding charts, I learned how to pardon my past and strengthen my heart in times of despair. Upon encountering failures, it helped me hone my ability to rise above my situation and continue walking forward.

I never get tired of rereading it. I always make it a point to revisit its pages and become refreshed. I’ll just fish it out of its shelf and read it in random moments, sitting in a nook, or lying on the sofa. My favorite book has been my own shard of light. It’s also one of my personal counsels during trying times. I truly love and owe many things to it. It’s so indispensable that I formed an invincible bond with it. I must say that in the near future, I may not be the greatest salesman by profession, but I can be the greatest person I want to be through my favorite book’s timeless lessons.