Feeling All the Feels

In the foreword of I’ve Never Been (Un)happier, Mahesh Bhatt writes about an incident where his daughter consoled him when he was grieving the death of his closest friend. He says that at that moment, although he felt some respite, it also made him worried for his little girl. He goes on, “She had listened to me with every pore of her being. That’s when I got the feeling that there was a kind of desolate vastness within her that was able to contain the depths of such emotion.”

The book beautifully delves into how certain incidents from our childhood become distinct memories that we carry for a lifetime. The beauty of this book is that it is gut-wrenching but also extremely satisfying. It is so blunt that you can’t help falling in love with Shaheen—the author. The book is non-preachy, highlighting the uniqueness of one’s individual experiences. What works for me might not work for you, and vice versa. This is the core philosophy of the book, which is maintained till the end.

I truly believe that it is a great read because it focuses on taboo topics like depression, anxiety, and mental well-being. It is sad that these issues, which are so prevalent in society today, still have so much shame associated with them. It still requires “courage” and “guts” for a person to come out and speak about their mental health issues. Books like I’ve Never Been (Un)happier are the need of the hour, giving hope that it’s completely okay if you’re feeling a certain way. Help can be taken if needed. I can’t deny the fact that the book is dark in the sense that the experiences mentioned are so real that you feel the pain in your nerves. However, it’s a beautiful catharsis once you finish reading it.

It is said that you don’t get to choose books; books choose you. I read this book 6 years ago, and I’m extremely thrilled to read it again today. Happy reading if this book chooses you.

Love,
Spurthy