As I prepare to leave for India, I am trying to be mindful of how many 'Last' posts I write. I am aware that I have already done one on my last yoga class, and today I am going to talk about my last Book Club Meeting.
I remember how nervous I was before my first book club meeting, fully aware that I might be the only man and the only foreigner. I was right on both counts, but even though I felt quite out of place in the beginning I stuck with it. It was clearly a group of really smart but unpretentious people and discussing a book with such a crowd allows one to appreciate the book at a different level.
Fast forward to meeting 11. I was the only foreigner this time as well but I felt quite at ease. There was a good mix of veterans and newbies, and although the newbies were smart and agreeable too. Having a book club that reads only female authors is a great strategy if you want smart but pleasant people to join. Book clubbing is a nerdy hobby so book clubbers are generally smart, and when you read only women, it weeds the misogynists--both male and female--out.
Earlier, I used to go for Meetup events with the hope of meeting people I could hang-out with even if we were not engaged in an activity. Fast friends, is what I was looking for. Once I released myself from that expectation, it was a relief. Interacting with people without any hope or agenda is liberating. The non-work-related intellectual stimulation I get at the book club meetings is such a treat! Activity-based friendships might not be as satisfying as heart-friendships but they have their place in life.
To wrap up this post, I am glad I swallowed my misgivings about both yoga and the bookclub and my life is the richer for it.
I remember how nervous I was before my first book club meeting, fully aware that I might be the only man and the only foreigner. I was right on both counts, but even though I felt quite out of place in the beginning I stuck with it. It was clearly a group of really smart but unpretentious people and discussing a book with such a crowd allows one to appreciate the book at a different level.
Fast forward to meeting 11. I was the only foreigner this time as well but I felt quite at ease. There was a good mix of veterans and newbies, and although the newbies were smart and agreeable too. Having a book club that reads only female authors is a great strategy if you want smart but pleasant people to join. Book clubbing is a nerdy hobby so book clubbers are generally smart, and when you read only women, it weeds the misogynists--both male and female--out.
Earlier, I used to go for Meetup events with the hope of meeting people I could hang-out with even if we were not engaged in an activity. Fast friends, is what I was looking for. Once I released myself from that expectation, it was a relief. Interacting with people without any hope or agenda is liberating. The non-work-related intellectual stimulation I get at the book club meetings is such a treat! Activity-based friendships might not be as satisfying as heart-friendships but they have their place in life.
To wrap up this post, I am glad I swallowed my misgivings about both yoga and the bookclub and my life is the richer for it.
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