A few years ago, I was on bed rest recuperating from an illness. I had little energy to watch or read something. That is when I discovered the joy of audiobooks.
At that time Andy Weir's 'The Martian' had just come out. I decided to give it a try and it immediately bewitched me. I listened to it non-stop, sometimes even taking it along with me in the shower. It kept my mind off my frail health. It deserves ample credit for my speedy recovery.
Cut to the present, and a few months ago, my wife and I made our first travel of the pandemic. We drove from Bengaluru to Chikkamagaluru to stay at Thippanahalli Homestay, a wonderful property. By this time, my wife had also converted to an audiobook lover. As luck would have it, we found Andy Weir's new book Project Hail Mary (which is also one of my favorite books of 2021) in audiobook format.
So we eschewed the usual road trip songs playlist and put on the audiobook instead. It was an enthralling experience.
While we were there on vacation, it rained incessantly. Without much else to do, we did the only thing that was possible - listen to the audiobook. We would tuck into our blankets, dim the lights, and listen to it as it rained outside. At other times, we would listen to it in the verandah, with the homestay's pet Dachshund curled up on my lap shivering after getting wet in the rain.
I was happy in those moments. There was nowhere else I wished to be in those moments. I was content.
This pandemic feels a lot more than just about Covid but also a pandemic of poor mental health. So if during this time, a piece of art like an audiobook can make you feel that way, cherish it.
Cheers!
