Book Review: Ruskin Bond's How to Live Your Life encourages readers to find out what they are good at

If you have ever wondered how author Ruskin Bond manages to produce the kind of humongous output that he is known for – novels, short stories, essays, memoirs and poems – read his new book How to Live Your Life (2022). You will come away refreshed and replenished by the kind of energy that he exudes in this light-hearted volume. Published by HarperCollins India, it is Bond’s birthday offering to his readers. He turns 88 on May 19. “If you have a talent, put it to some use. It is something that some of us are born with, or even something that we might discover and acquire along the way. I think most of you have it in some form or the other,” writes Bond. He discovered his own talent for writing quite early in life. He recalls what a “dreamy fellow” he used to be, with his head “buried in a book of verse or a novel or an encyclopedia of natural history.” While his peers were excited about sports, he enjoyed “living vicariously” through the characters that he met in stories. Slowly, he gained the confidence to start creating his own characters and writing his own stories. In his affectionate and encouraging tone, Bond urges readers to find out what they are good at. He believes that this talent can be honed through “effort and commitment” and used to serve others. The author is aware that adults – parents, guardians and teachers – have a tendency to foist their own ambitions on children, so he advises readers to pursue only what their heart is set on. “The world will reward you,” he promises, recalling the love that he has received. Bond notes, “Giving satisfaction, giving pleasure, that is often a reward in itself.” The author offers advice but does not talk down to his readers. Instead, he indulges in self-deprecatory humour. He seems quite aware of his limitations in areas other than writing, so he remarks, “I can sing (preferably when no one is listening) but that doesn’t make a Tansen or a Caruso or a Mohit Chauhan.” He uses his own example to bring home the point that readers must make an honest assessment of their strengths before they decide on a vocation. It is wonderful to see that Bond does not set up a hierarchy of talents. Hopefully, adults reading this book will recognize the importance of supporting children to embrace unconventional careers that might seem risky but are in keeping with the potential these children have within themselves. Bond writes, “There’s a potential artist or writer or singer or musician in you or perhaps a mathematician or a toy-maker, or a rocket-maker or a juggler.” He believes that they will excel and be happy, if they have “skill, commitment, even love.” The book strikes a hopeful note but it is not cloyingly sweet. Bond’s optimism is balanced by pragmatism. He points out that a perpetual state of happiness is not desirable because it can make people excessively self-absorbed. They can stop caring about the suffering of others. In fact, they might lose all motivation if there are no challenges to face and solutions to look for. At the same time, Bond does not beat himself up. He regrets quarrelling with his mother, neglecting his sister, being rude to his teacher, and breaking his classroom windows but also realizes that things cannot be undone. Brooding does not help anyone. It is harmful.  Bond’s writing practice is what helps him stay in the moment. He writes evocatively about waking up at six in the morning in Landour, Mussoorie, where he lives to “see that pink and orange glow as the first light begins to spread over the mountains”. He begins the day with a half-hour of writing. Without this, he feels grumpy all day. He likes to use a gel-pen with “jamun-coloured ink” when he sits to write. At this age, his eyesight has deteriorated but the early morning sunlight helps him see more clearly, and the warmth loosens up his fingers. This book also provides a glimpse of how elders can keep themselves occupied when their bodies become frail. Bond grows geraniums. “When I gaze upon them, I feel better, more capable of dealing with the stresses of the day,” he writes. The colours of these flowering plants transform his mood. When he feels “a little down in the dumps”, they cheer him up. He writes, “Grow something, my friend. Even if it’s only a succulent or a feathering fern. Find some corner of your room or balcony or window ledge where there’s a little sun, good light and warmth. Plant a seed or cutting, watch it grow, watch it flower.” This sounds easy and doable, for people of all ages. Why does he recommend it? According to him, “You will have taken a small part in God’s creation, and the rewards will be greater than the effort you have made.” He urges readers to become “one of nature’s allies, not one of her enemies”. My favourite part of the book is where Bond addresses how to deal with heartbreak. He does not mention who broke his heart, if that is what you are interested in. What he does share is how to sit with “that tremendous surge of love for another” when it is not reciprocated. He writes, “What are we to do about it? Go on living in anguish? Become a stalker? Contemplate suicide? Do nothing, my friend. Time is the greatest healer. And the human mind is adaptable. The horrible days pass. The lonely weeks pass. The angry, self-pitying months pass.” This sounds like excellent advice, particularly for men who hurt themselves or the object of their affection – with acid attacks, revenge porn, death threats – when they do not get what they want. Bond assures readers that they “will meet someone” – a person that they have been waiting for all their lives. I suspect he watches too many Yash Chopra films. Since Bond does not use email or a smartphone, it is quite likely that he is unfamiliar with the contemporary world of online dating where people e-meet numerous matches on a daily basis and weigh their options. They are not waiting to be swept off their feet. Perhaps Bond’s writing continues to be as charming as it is because it conjures up an older, simpler life. Chintan Girish Modi is a journalist, commentator, and book reviewer.