On My Bedside Table – No 1

Apart from my cell phone charger, which seems inevitable to have there, what else do I have stacked on my table, and why? For what purpose, and what secured a spot in the first place?

I’m fond of writing, be it putting my thoughts down, memorising things I heard from others, planning my days/ weeks, writing text messages, or short essays, my morning devotionals.  Ultimately, if you write, you read and I stumbled onto a selection of essays by Mary Oliver – Upstream. What I love about reading essays, they are short and digestible and leaves you with a feeling of pleasure, encouragement, contentment. Mary has been on my bedside for some time now – I guess she will be there a little longer. In reading her essays has encouraged me to take up writing essays. She writes a lovely language, plain, simple, yet eloquent.

By nature, I am a storyteller – mostly sharing experiences from my diverse and interesting life. When I told a writer’s friend of mine about a funny situation on one of my excursions, he listened intensively and in the end burst out laughing, enjoying it with me. “Have you written it down?” he enquired. I had not, but now I have. Shows you the value of good company – some way or another it inspires and prompts you to more and better.

Also stacked on my bedside, is the DVD, King of Devils Island, a reminder that after watching it twice over a period of time, I think about it in another way, a deeper way prompting me to write a review, even if it is only for myself. My second viewing evoked a deeper emotion; I have so many questions on human life and what drives human behaviour; the creation / development of dogma – who are the authorities?

My iPad also rests and charges by my bedside, providing me hours of joy, giving me, apart from other things, instant access to my splendid collection of books on Kindle. I have had Stefan King’s Memoirs on Writing in my library for some time and have only recently joined the journey – non-put-down-able – written in his obvious brilliant natural style, sharing not only his craft, but also his character and approach to life. Having read this, I have become even more focussed and encouraged to developing my own personal skills without sacrificing character, getting to know myself better. His memoirs count under my list of most important books I have read – new journeys open up before me and I realise how much there is still to discover – use time effectively, choose company carefully – what a great rule to live by.

And on my iPhone’s Apple Books, I came across Oscar Wilde’s The picture of Dorian Gray. Realising that Oscar Wilde’s name pops up every now and then in conversations, academic / literature papers, as does TS Elliot, neither of which I have read anything of before. And so I ventured off on Oscar Wilde’s one and only novel. One thing, as they say, leads to another; I first read the author’s biography and then started on the novel – so grateful for my two well-read friends, Mick and Marilyn.  Of course they both had read it, analysed it and then started feeding notes on the novel. Halfway through I put the novel down – all that vanity and hubris got to me – only to pick it up again and finish it.  Incidentally, Wilde wrote the novel up to more or less where I left it, and years after, added more chapters – it seems the first time when I put it down, was where he initially stopped writing. And then I could not put it down.

What I also have beside my bed is my Moleskin Diary which to me is my most essential companion. I have been on Moleskin like forever; I do my planning, make notes, comments, write up my morning devotional… oh, and when did it fail to carry me through the day, one way or another – through difficult times as well as good times.  I derive great pleasure from ticking off progress and accomplishments.

For some time a book titled “How to draw” lies at the bottom of the stack – a reminder of how not to draw. I wonder how many books on “How to……” have been published and sold, written by those who apparently know how and read by those who hope for a quick fix or a recipe for success. Guess what, it does not work that way. The only virtues you need to succeed in whatever, would be dedication and practice.

Some time ago a friend and I were scouting the older parts of Johannesburg; a second-hand bookshop is always a treasure cove. I picked up the most delightful little book on Toulouse Lautrec, and for a song, a book that gave me insight into his life, his challenges, his extraordinary skill and a fine collection of photographs of his work. It is a slow, yet satisfying read and the book has earned its rightful place next to my bed, with the promise of a couple more delightful hours of reading.

I do confess, I have a weakness for bookshops and usually end up leaving with a few good ones in my bag, which more often than not got me into trouble at the airport – overweight hand luggage! Three Cups of Tea, was one of these books that in the end cost me dearly. It had been on my bookshelf for some time but has recently been elevated to my bedside table – Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, well known mountaineer that scaled K2, failed but eventually went back to Pakistan to build more than 50 schools in the most remote parts of the mountains – a journal that keeps you reading – interesting, informative and very well written.

I also have on my bedside table, my notebook in which I am attempting a novel, even though I currently have no aspirations to write a best seller. I am doing this for the mere satisfaction. Maybe, once the first draft is done, I might consider asking my two reader friends to act as First Readers and comment.

In conclusion, books in the waiting at the top of the stack, are by TS Elliot – Murder in the Cathedral and his Collection of Poems. On my second delivery, I might share some thoughts on these two books.

And then, forever in close proximity, The Word of God…