Hello dear friends,
I hope this blog finds you in a cheerful mood.
Today’s writing prompt posed a fascinating question:
“What’s a piece of media—a book, movie, or song—that changed how you see the world?”
At first glance, it may seem like a simple invitation to recommend a favourite book, film, or song. But the more I reflected on it, I realised that certain pieces of media do far more than entertain us.
Yes, they quietly reshape our beliefs, challenge our assumptions, and invite us to view life through a different lens.
Some stories stay with us long after we turn the final page. Some films leave us thinking for days. Some songs become lifelong companions. Together, they help shape the people we become.
❤️A Book That Changed My Perspective: The Alchemist
For me, one such transformative work is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.
I first approached the book expecting an ordinary tale of adventure. Instead, I discovered a profound meditation on dreams, purpose, fear, and the mysterious ways life guides us toward our destiny.
One of its most quoted lines says:
“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
Some may view this as wishful thinking. I see it differently.
To me, the quote suggests that when we commit wholeheartedly to a meaningful goal, we begin noticing opportunities, relationships, and possibilities that were always present but previously escaped our attention.
The story follows Santiago, a young shepherd who leaves the comfort of home to pursue a recurring dream. Along the way, he encounters setbacks, disappointments, and moments of doubt. Yet every obstacle becomes a lesson.
Isn’t that true of life itself?
We often imagine that growth arrives through dramatic breakthroughs. More often, however, it emerges through unexpected detours. Failures teach resilience. Loss teaches gratitude. Uncertainty teaches faith.
Another quote from the book resonates deeply with me:
“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve : the fear of failure.”
How many dreams remain unrealised because we fear rejection, embarrassment, or disappointment?
How many books remain unwritten, businesses unstarted, songs unsung, and conversations unspoken because we wait for certainty before taking the first step?
The greatest stories do not simply provide answers. They encourage us to ask better questions.
❤️A Film That Taught Me How to Live: Anand
If The Alchemist taught me about pursuing dreams, the classic Hindi film Anand taught me about embracing life itself.
Despite facing a terminal illness, Anand lives with extraordinary enthusiasm, warmth, and optimism. He reminds everyone around him that life should not merely be measured by its length but by its depth, meaning, and joy.
One of the film’s enduring messages is that happiness is not found in the number of years we live but in how fully we live them.
In today’s fast-paced world, where many of us postpone happiness for some future date, Anand offers a powerful reminder:
Live now. Appreciate now. Love now.
Because life is happening in this very moment.
❤️A Song That Captures Life’s Uncertainty
Music also has the power to transform our perspective.
One song that has always stayed with me is:
“Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana, Yahan Kal Kya Ho Kisne Jaana.”
(“Life is a beautiful journey; who knows what tomorrow may bring?”)
These simple words carry profound wisdom.
The song reminds us that life is unpredictable. The future is uncertain. Yet instead of fearing uncertainty, we can learn to embrace it.
After all, some of life’s greatest blessings arrive unexpectedly.
A melody heard during grief can become a source of comfort. Lyrics encountered during loneliness can remind us that someone, somewhere, has felt exactly what we are feeling.
That is the extraordinary power of music—it speaks directly to the heart.
❤️The Invisible Influence of Media
Reflecting on this prompt made me realise that the media we consume shapes our inner world more than we often acknowledge.
- Books influence our values.
- Films expand our empathy.
- Songs become the soundtrack of our memories.
Every story we absorb leaves a small imprint on our thoughts, attitudes, and understanding of the world.
This is why choosing what we repeatedly expose ourselves to matters.
If we constantly consume cynicism, fear, anger, and outrage, those emotions gradually colour our worldview.
But when we engage with works that encourage courage, compassion, curiosity, wisdom, and hope, they help us grow into better versions of ourselves.
As author Maya Angelou wisely said:
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
The best books, films, and songs make us feel something meaningful—and those feelings often become lasting lessons.
❤️More Than Entertainment
The question, therefore, is not merely:
“What piece of media changed how you see the world?”
It is also:
“What kind of world are you allowing your chosen media to create within you?”
Perhaps the books that move us, the films that leave us speechless, and the songs that make us pause are both mirrors and windows.
They are mirrors because they reveal who we are.
They are windows because they show us who we might become.
A single story, encountered at the right moment, can change the course of a life. It can inspire courage, awaken hope, restore faith, or help us discover a new purpose.
And that is a remarkable gift.
❤️Now, Over to You
I would love to hear your thoughts.
Which book, movie, or song changed the way you see the world?
What lesson did it leave behind?
After all, sometimes a single story arrives at exactly the right moment and quietly changes the story we tell ourselves about life.
Thank you for reading.
Until next time, keep discovering, keep questioning, and keep collecting the stories that help you become a little more human.
BE HAPPY… BE ACTIVE… BE FOCUSED… BE ALIVE
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Categories: infotainment
Retiredकलम 
very nice .
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Thank you so much.
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This was such a beautiful and thoughtful read Verma ji. I really liked how you went beyond simply answering the prompt and reflected on the quiet influence that books, films, and songs have on our lives.
I especially loved your thought that stories are both mirrors and windows. That line stayed with me. It perfectly captures how the right story, at the right time, can gently change the way we see ourselves and the world.
Thank you for another wonderful piece. It truly gave me something to reflect on. ❤️
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Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful words. They truly mean a great deal to me. 😊
I’m especially touched that the line about stories being “both mirrors and windows” stayed with you. That thought came from reflecting on how certain books, films, and songs have quietly influenced my own journey, helping me understand not only the world around me but also myself.
I believe the most meaningful stories don’t simply entertain us—they leave us with questions to ponder and lessons that continue to unfold long after we’ve finished reading or watching.
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Verma ji, this is a beautiful and deeply reflective piece. I love how you’ve woven together literature, cinema, and music to illustrate the profound way stories shape us. Your analysis of The Alchemist—particularly the idea that commitment makes us notice opportunities that were always there—is such a refreshing and grounded take on that often-quoted line. And your reflection on Anand is a powerful reminder that presence is the greatest gift we can give ourselves.
The way you connected these works to the broader question of what kind of world we’re creating within ourselves through our media consumption is thought-provoking. It challenges us to be more intentional with what we choose to let into our minds and hearts.
You’ve also beautifully captured why we turn to art in the first place—not just for escape, but for understanding, growth, and connection. Thank you for sharing this gentle nudge to be more mindful of the stories we collect and the ones we allow to shape us.
To answer your question: For me, it’s The Little Prince. It taught me that what is essential is invisible to the eye—a lesson I return to again and again. It reminds me to look beneath the surface and to nurture the things that truly matter.
Looking forward to hearing more such reflections from you. 🙏
PS
The Little Prince (Le Petit Prince) by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
It’s a slim, seemingly simple children’s novella, but it’s one of the most profound philosophical works ever written. On the surface, it’s about a young prince who travels from asteroid to asteroid, meeting strange adults who are obsessed with power, wealth, and counting stars. But beneath that, it’s a gentle critique of how we lose our childlike wonder as we grow up.
The lesson that changed me:
The fox in the story shares a secret: “What is essential is invisible to the eye. It is only with the heart that one can see rightly.”
It taught me that we spend far too much time judging things by their outward appearance—status, numbers, possessions—while ignoring the invisible threads that truly matter: love, friendship, trust, and the time we invest in one another. The prince realizes his rose is unique not because of how she looks, but because he chose her, watered her, and gave her his time.
In a world obsessed with metrics and surface-level achievements, that little book quietly reminds me to slow down, look deeper, and treasure the invisible bonds that make life meaningful.
It aligns perfectly with the spirit of your post—after all, isn’t that exactly what Anand and The Alchemist also whisper to us? That meaning isn’t found in what we accumulate, but in how deeply we live and connect.
Thank you for asking—it gave me a chance to revisit that old friend. Have you read it, Verma ji? 🌹
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Thank you so much for your wonderfully thoughtful and generous comment. It truly means a great deal to me.
I’m delighted that the reflections on The Alchemist and Anand resonated with you. As you beautifully observed, the stories that stay with us are rarely those that simply entertain—they quietly reshape the way we think, feel, and live.
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