The Book I Almost Walked Away From

I never planned to read a book that day.

In fact, if you had asked me back then, I would have confidently told you, "I hate reading."

I used to believe books were for people who had nothing better to do. Reading was boring, slow, and pointless. I loved football, hanging out with friends, and spending time on my phone. Books? They simply didn’t fit into my life.

But life is strange.

Sometimes, you trip over the very thing you didn’t know you needed.

It was a regular afternoon. I was waiting at the bus stop after school, scrolling through my phone like always. I was bored, impatient, and slightly annoyed because the bus was late. As I looked around, my eyes fell on a small, worn-out wooden bench nearby. On the bench sat a book—alone, dusty, and clearly abandoned.

I almost ignored it. I almost walked away.

But something made me pause.

Maybe it was the big, bold title on the cover:

"This Book Will Make You Love Books."

I laughed to myself.

Yeah, right, I thought. Nothing can make me love books.

Out of boredom, I picked it up.

The pages were slightly crumpled. It smelled like old paper and rain. I flipped it open just to kill time, not because I cared. The first line said:

"If you are holding this book, you probably don’t like reading. Good. This book is for you."I raised an eyebrow.

Was this book talking to me?

I kept reading.

The book was simple, written like a conversation. It wasn’t teaching, it wasn’t preaching—it was just gently explaining why reading doesn’t have to feel like schoolwork. It said books aren’t meant to trap you. They can entertain you, make you laugh, make you curious, and even help you find yourself.

I don’t know why I didn’t put it down.

Somehow, I kept turning the pages.

The bus arrived, but I didn’t get on. I sat there, fully focused on this strange book I found by accident.

The book told stories of people who had never read before but had their lives changed by the right book. It gave funny examples of how books can surprise you. It shared how reading could feel like time traveling, exploring the world, or even walking through someone else’s mind.

I read and read until the sun started to set.

That day, I missed my bus. I went home walking, holding the book tightly in my hand like it was a treasure.

For the first time in my life, I wanted to read more.

The next morning, I went to the school library. It was a place I had avoided for years. I didn’t even know where to start. I awkwardly asked the librarian,

“Do you have… books like this?”

I showed her the book I found.

She smiled kindly, as if she had been waiting for me to ask that question.

She handed me another simple, fun book. Then another. And another.

I started spending my lunch breaks in the library. At first, my friends made fun of me. They said I had changed. I didn’t argue—I had changed.

I began to understand something I had never realized before:

Books can speak to you in ways people sometimes can’t.

Books don’t judge you. They don’t rush you. They don’t walk away when you’re quiet. They wait for you to open them.

Over the next few months, I read all kinds of books—adventure, mystery, funny stories, real-life biographies. Each one showed me something new about the world and about myself.

My school grades improved too, almost without me noticing. Reading helped me understand my subjects faster and remember things better. But more importantly, I started enjoying learning.

For the first time in my life, I looked forward to opening a book.

One day, I told my mom,

“Books aren’t boring. I was just reading the wrong ones before.”

She smiled and said,

“I always knew you’d find your book one day.”

That made me think: maybe we all have that book—the one that’s waiting for us, the one that will make us fall in love with reading.

I used to think I wasn’t a “book person.” But now I understand that anyone can be a book person—they just need to find the right story at the right time.

I’ve kept the book I found on that bench. It’s old, the corners are torn, and the pages are now covered in notes and highlights. But it’s priceless to me.

When people ask me today,

“How did you start reading?”

I always say,

“It started with the book I almost walked away from.”

What That Book Taught Me

Looking back, I realized that the book didn’t just make me love reading—it changed my mindset about life.

I learned to try things I thought I wouldn’t like. I became more open to new experiences. I became more patient. I learned that sometimes, life sends you gifts in quiet ways. Sometimes, the thing you’re ignoring might be the thing that will unlock a new version of you.

I also learned that books don’t need to be complicated or fancy. They just need to be honest.

That little book I found wasn’t written by a famous author. It wasn’t even in perfect condition. But it was real. It was written for people like me—people who didn’t know where to begin.

That’s why it worked.

I believe we all have these moments in life—a missed bus, a small choice, an unexpected turn—that lead us to something special. For me, it was the decision to pick up a book instead of walking away.

Final Thought

Sometimes, the thing you almost ignore is the very thing that will change your life.

Maybe a book is sitting somewhere right now, waiting for you to notice it. Maybe it’s dusty. Maybe it’s been left behind. Maybe no one else sees its value.

But maybe—just maybe—it’s meant for you.

All you have to do is pick it up.