Literature's remedy

I THINK it was the love of books which drew me to the article, “A Fond Farewell” (Abby Wong, Star2 July 20). I couldn’t agree more with her statement that “books brought great pleasure” to the writer’s late father-in-law because books bring me the greatest of pleasures. What struck a chord was the reference to the book “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor E. Frankl and the observation that “Dad went home two weeks later. He wanted to keep “Man’s Search for Meaning”. I let him.”

This book impacted my life and set me on a life-improving course a long time ago. Thirty years ago, I ended on the wrong side of a relationship and lost my savings to boot. In the abyss of despair and desperation, I lost the will to live, couldn’t eat or sleep, couldn’t think, just wanted to die. (Looking back now, I am shocked at how stupid I was). And my religion taught that taking your own life was bad. So there I was between the devil and the deep blue sea.