Hicham El Ouahabi | And then the holidays were over
During the past Christmas vacations, columnist Hicham El Ouahabi rediscovered the pleasure of reading. “I am especially looking forward to a year in which I trade current events and social media for a journey of literary discovery.”
Unfortunately, I didn't become the lucky winner of the New Year's Eve jackpot of 30 million, but that doesn't really matter when you've been enjoying free and festive days. At least, according to the many millionaires who seem to appear like a plague on YouTube ads, those two situations seem to feel the same. I can well imagine. The last day before break, with the prospect of being free, truly felt like a liberation, combined with the feeling of something starting exactly at the perfect time.
The start of vacation at the perfect time was also evident in my bookcase. I had been planning for weeks, if not months, to refurbish the thing over the break. After all, the bookcase was on the verge of collapse; one move and the whole thing would explode. Too full or too small, both were possible. In any case, the state of my bookcase reminded me of the current state of the world, full of tensions that make you wonder: When will things explode?
From a young age, I have always loved reading. Then during my teenage years the pleasure of reading waned as everything suddenly seemed more interesting than picking up a book. Soon after, the corona pandemic began, which rekindled my love for literature. It was truly a breath of fresh air. I still wonder if I could have endured staying home at that time without the pleasure of reading.
As more became possible, however, my interest in reading began to decline again. Literature was gradually replaced by current events and social media, or in other words, the delusion of the day. And to be honest, constantly wanting to be aware of everything is especially frustrating. No matter how much time you spend on it, you are left with a sense of unfulfillment and it continues to feel like a superficial and impersonal experience.
So what I hope for this year and what I toasted to on New Year's Eve should come as no surprise: a year filled with reading pleasure. I must confess that the 30 million jackpot would certainly have been welcome, too, but that wish has already been moved to 2025. For now, I am mostly looking forward to a year in which I trade current events and social media for a journey of literary discovery. Immerse yourself in stories, get carried away, and empathize with other perspectives.
In these times of increasing tensions and contradictions, I believe more strongly than ever that we young people—in fact, everyone—can benefit from literature and from rediscovering the pleasure of reading.
