Book Review: Perks of Being a Wallflower

"...not a self-centered story but rather a story of exploring oneself and appreciating the rest." -I can sum up the novel with that.

Being a wallflower makes you see things and understand them, and that's what I loved about the story. Charlie who happens not to realize how smart he is got to use his not-so-salient persona as an advantage to explore the world of love, anxiety and pain. He found a sweet escape of life through reading novels and in writing letters to an anonymous friend. He is devastated on the feeling of being loved and appreciated. He sobs every time he gets hurt--which I think good for him to really cope with the anxiety.

The author does not dwell that much on alcohol and drugs but it really did add flavors on how Charlie started to experiment himself. A lot of teenagers might relate on it, since it tackled on issues which some teenagers might have been experiencing. I also like how it is realistically written. After all the challenges and triumphs, one must not forget to be grateful on having friends and family 'cause not everyone has such.

Silence Speaks for the Self

Silence often happens when there is a conflict, confusion and concentration. Among these, concentration leads to good silence. However, confusion and conflict can somehow be a good motivator that leads a person into concentration. “Silence is the spiritual knife which lays open our souls. If we are never silent, we never have to examine the truth about ourselves.”, as Philip Gully said.  

Silence speaks for the self. In this busy and loud world, everyone must have time to dwell on important matters about life and to unveil what is within us.

Silence Works for Health

Keeping in silence is not healthy for some same as holding it. But with proper management of it, it could create a place for relaxation and realization. Sometimes, dealing with silence can be one of the best things you can do for yourself. When it comes to health, it reduces the body's level of stress.  Aside from having a power-nap and a sleep, silence also do the social control. Through silence, a person may start to meditate and relax which recharges physical and mental batteries. It slows down the body deep rest and the body rhythm. The heartbeat rate and the breathing rate slows down as well. This helps in relaxing the whole body and provides the chance of coming out from the hustle and bustle of the world and roaring issues. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Silence Acts for Discovery                                                               

People are surrounded by various commotions in the environment. And silence, being an absence and a presence, helps everyone into self uncovering.  When in silence, a person starts to think. Creative ideas and thoughts may come out which is healthy. It paves a way for communicating with the self, or what we call Intrapersonal Communication. Through this, a person  begins to listen in his inner voice and eventually makes it to the heart. Upon communicating with the self, calmness might be felt because the outer and the inner self meets the balance. "In silence, we're calmer," as said by Sharon Salzberg, co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Mass. "Silence helps us connect to that which we normally miss--elements of our experience that are subtle yet rich." Silence also helps a person find guidance in daily living. Since thinking and communication with the self became recently present, seeking for guidance and openness follows. Aside from these, silence promotes self-discovery. With the existence of the preceding benefits, one will know what he does not know about himself or knows but denies into himself. He discovers what is behind and beyond the issues that he is facing and experiencing. With that, he will eventually see and realize the importance of everyday living.