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​I had a chill day today. I didn’t go to work, and for a while I was bored out of my mind. Eventually, I went in search of the right book, the perfect book for me. Nobody really talks about how hard it is to choose just one book to commit to.

Honestly, I ended up reading the first three chapters of about four different African literature books before I finally found the one. And once I dived into it, boom, I was gone, completely out of this world.

That is one thing I truly admire about books. Movies can do this too, but not quite as vividly. With books, you can travel to different universes, move across borders, experience cultures, and live another person’s life all at once.

One of the reasons I fantasize about traveling the world, visiting historical buildings and ancient libraries, is because of the books I’ve read. I’ve been to Paris, France, England, and Rome countless times in my mind. I can hardly wait to experience these places in person.

My friend would often say, “Favour, your imagination is too wild,” and honestly, that too is the doing of books. Call it fiction if you like, but these characters feel just as real as the next person sitting beside me. Watching them make silly or outrageous decisions, I find myself scolding them, telling them to act right, as though I wouldn’t do the same if I were in their shoes.

My sister would say it’s easier to play sage when you’re not the one physically dealing with the situation. And she’s right. Sometimes, I do this funny thing where I split myself into two. One part is the character living through life, and the other is the reader, observing from a distance and passing judgment. It’s amusing in its own way, because the reader gets to form opinions, reflect, and learn, even while knowing how imperfect the character truly is.

Dearest reader, books have taught me that imagination isnt just an escape but an expansion. Through stories, we live many lives, make countless mistakes safely, and return to our own reality a little wiser than we were before.

@favvy_Okwans🖤.