Suddenly, a loud crashing sound woke James up from his sleep. He realized it was his mother knocking on his door—it was morning. Just like every other day, he slipped into his usual routine, taking a quick shower and sipping a glass of papaya juice before heading out. He paid no attention to his torn jeans, uncombed hair, or faded shirt. His shoes, scuffed and unpolished, were the least of his worries. He felt utterly indifferent to everything around him.
As James walked to his university, he passed by the aesthetic street shops where the middle-class gathered, but he hardly noticed. Though the whole atmosphere were absolute treat to eyes due to the presence of classical goods shops. His thoughts were elsewhere, locked in the monotony of his existence. Every day was the same. Attend classes, return home, and retreat into the solitude of his room. No friends, no social interactions, no connection with his family. He was a ghost in his own life, a shadow passing through the world unnoticed.
James often felt trapped—struggling with a growing sense of loneliness and depression. He saw himself as a failure, someone who couldn’t fit into society’s expectations. “I’m just weird,” he’d tell himself. He felt stuck in his own world, a prisoner to his negative thoughts, sinking deeper into a state of emotional numbness.
But one fateful day, everything changed!
While returning from university, James learned that his father had been in a serious accident. His heart raced as panic gripped him. Without a second thought, he sprinted all the way home. His cousin met him at the door, breathless, and urged him to rush to the hospital. James ran faster than he ever had in his life, the world around him blurring in his desperation.
At the hospital, he found his father lying on a bed, covered in stitches, with a plastered leg. His mother was there, wiping her tears and whispering, “Everything will be okay.” But for James, the sight of his father in such pain was unbearable. He broke down, tears streaming down his face as his emotions overflowed.
Later that day, after his father regained consciousness, he called James over. Grabbing his hand gently, his father said, “Don’t worry, son. Heroes don’t fall—they get back up. I’ll be alright soon.” But it wasn’t just these comforting words that stirred something within James. His father’s next words went deeper. He quoted Shakespeare: “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” The words hit James like a lightning bolt, and for the first time in a long while, something shifted in his mind.
That night, James couldn’t stop thinking about that quote. What did Shakespeare mean by that? How could someone from so long ago understand his own struggles so intimately? James felt compelled to learn more about this man who seemed to have insight into the very heart of human existence.
He began reading Shakespeare’s works, starting with Hamlet, followed by Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, and The Tempest. Each play opened new doors in his mind, forcing him to reflect on human nature, suffering, and inner conflict. He began to see the world differently. Shakespeare’s words became his mirror, reflecting back his own insecurities and his desire for self-realization.
Days passed, and soon, James’ father was discharged from the hospital. Life began to return to normal, but James was no longer the same. He now understood that literature had the power to reflect the inner workings of the human soul. But still, something was missing. He was learning, but he wasn’t yet living.
Then came a turning point!
One day, James’ university announced a study tour to the Yorkshire Dales, a scenic retreat in the countryside. As usual, James wasn’t excited. He had always avoided such social events. But something inside him—a quiet curiosity stirred by Shakespeare’s words—made him decide to join.
Upon arriving in the Dales, James found himself captivated by the natural beauty surrounding him. The rolling hills, the emerald-green meadows, the way the sunlight danced on the horizon—it was unlike anything he had ever seen before. For the first time in a long time, he felt a quiet stillness in his heart, a momentary escape from the suffocating monotony of his everyday life.
But as he walked further, something far more powerful pulled at his attention. By the roadside, he saw a young, homeless mother cradling her child. They were huddled together on a worn blanket, their clothes tattered and thin against the cool air. The mother’s face, lined with exhaustion, told a story of hardship that James could scarcely imagine. She had a small piece of stale bread in her hand, barely enough to feed her child, let alone herself. Yet, as she tore the bread in half and handed the larger portion to the boy, her face lit up with a warmth that defied her dire situation.
The little boy, no older than three or four, took the bread with eager hands. His cheeks were smudged with dirt, his clothes ragged, but his eyes sparkled with innocent joy. He laughed—a sound so pure, so full of life that it echoed in the quiet space around them. The mother smiled down at him, her own face brightening in response, as if his laughter was the only nourishment she needed.
There was no trace of bitterness in her eyes, no sign of despair or frustration. In that moment, the world around them seemed to disappear, leaving only the love and unbreakable bond between mother and child. They were playing together, laughing as if the weight of their hardships was nothing more than a passing shadow.
James stood frozen, watching them. His heart twisted with a strange mix of emotions—pity, admiration, and a deep, aching curiosity. How could they be so happy? He wondered. They had nothing. And yet, in this moment, they seemed to have everything that truly mattered. The mother’s love for her child was so radiant, so unconditional, that it filled the air around them with a sense of peace and contentment that James had never felt in his own life.
He watched as the mother gently wiped a crumb from the boy’s cheek, her hands rough but her touch tender. Her eyes, despite the struggles etched in their depths, gleamed with hope—a hope that somehow, things would be alright. And in that brief, fleeting moment, James realized that happiness was not something you could measure by material things. It was something far deeper, something rooted in love, resilience, and the human spirit’s capacity to endure.
As James stood there, silently witnessing their shared joy, Shakespeare’s words echoed in his mind once again: “Make not your thoughts your prison.” He suddenly understood the profound truth of this statement. The mother and child had every reason to be defeated by life’s cruelty, yet they chose to rise above their circumstances with laughter and love. It wasn’t their external situation that defined their happiness—it was their perspective, their unwavering connection to one another.
This moment struck James to his core. He realized that for so long, he had allowed his own thoughts to trap him, to hold him back from experiencing life’s simple, beautiful moments. His negative mindset had become a prison, but here, in front of him, was proof that joy could be found even in the darkest of places. It wasn’t the world that needed to change—it was his perception of it.
This moment of revelation changed everything. James now understood that Shakespeare’s wisdom wasn’t just for the characters in his plays; it was for him, too. He saw that life, with all its challenges, could be beautiful if approached with the right perspective. His negative thoughts were the true barriers to his happiness, not the torn clothes or lack of friends.
From that day forward, James embraced a new way of living. He began to see the beauty in small things—the laughter of strangers, the colors of the flowers by the street, the warmth of family. He started each day with a smile, greeting his family with affection, wearing bright, clean clothes, and taking pride in his appearance. His external transformation mirrored his internal one.
On his way to university, he noticed the vibrant street markets he had once ignored. He saw the girl selling flowers, the old man displaying his paintings. James bought flowers for his mother and a painting for his father, surprising them both with his newfound joy and energy. His family, in turn, was overjoyed to see him finally at peace, radiating happiness.
James had discovered something profound: “A man’s thinking is the key to his happiness.” His realization had come through the powerful, transformative force of literature. The words of great writers like Shakespeare had shown him the path to self-awareness, and in turn, to a richer, fuller life.
Now, James understood that literature was not just a form of entertainment—it was a guide to life, offering insight, healing, and inspiration. Through stories, he had learned to embrace the complexity of the human experience, and in doing so, had found his true self.
Literature, he realized, was the roadmap to the soul.
