With just paper, pen, and a few words, we can imagine and understand a person’s dreams. Words are a window into what someone thinks and feels. Just a few simple sentences are all it takes to communicate with the world — and you can do it all without worrying about physical borders, or all those self-imposed lines we draw, which not only limit us but separate us from others.
Today, I am talking about the power of words, especially books.
Books represent one of the most beautiful inventions of the world — the ability to share and communicate ideas with another human being. Because of their power, books have become effective instruments to fight against poverty and build sustainable peace.
A child, living in the middle of a war, can find peace only by reading and imagining a story. Children can transport themselves without moving their feet to stages built by words, phrases, and verses. Art is the purest expression of freedom.
Books and reading do not discriminate either. On the contrary, books allow everyone to gather knowledge equally. Not even language barriers can prevent stories from being shared.
A few years ago, I came to understand that peace is personal work and that the primary support for doing this work would always be through reading. As I told you before, books can create stages and an atmosphere of peace in a war field. Accessing a book goes beyond a right.
With this idea, in 2003, I decided to write the first of various books based on Ho’oponopono: The Easiest Way: Resolve your issues and take the road which will lead you towards love, happiness, abundance, and the life of your dreams.Despite not being a professional writer, I embarked on this adventure anyway. I was an accountant who specialized in taxes! But my desire to share what I had discovered and what had transformed my life was very strong.
I needed to share my story about how I discovered my real identity and freedom using this “Easy Way” technique. When people would tell me that my book had changed their lives, I couldn’t believe it. How was it possible that I could change lives with my books, all without ever taking a writing course?
I always encourage my students not to wait for money or titles in order to do the things they feel in their hearts. When you do things from the heart, nothing can go wrong, even writing a book without any previous experience.
Also, despite publishing it myself, I sold the rights to publish my work in more than 15 languages, which allowed my message to reach many more people throughout the world.
Do you still have any doubts about the enormous power that books hold for each of us?
Whether it’s print or digital, thanks to all my books, I can visit places where I have never physically even been to. Through my book, my message of peace and happiness crosses borders, collapses walls, and builds foundations. This is an achievement I could never have imagined. Even today, I still get excited with every testimonial I read from someone who said that my books helped them with their life. Every day I get confirmation that this is my path.
And now I can clearly say that a world without books and creativity is a world that will never transform or bring peace. It is comforting to know that we are living in an era of information and that we are all pushing for culture, art, education, and books to have a stronger place in our society. Little by little, that peace is starting to be built; it begins in each one of our hearts.
Books are not merely a collection of millions of letters, nor are they infinite periods and commas, nor paragraphs and titles. Books are roadways to knowledge, wisdom and inspiration that form the best intangible heritage that could embrace your soul. Books are the gateway to peace. And, remember, inner peace is world peace.
In other words, start reading…and let’s all make the world a better place together.
Love,
Mabel Katz
