Have a little Faith....

God is one..

I had a doctor once who was an atheist. This doctor like to jab me and my beliefs. He used to schedule my appointments deliberately on Saturdays, so I would have to call the receptionist and explain why, because of my religion that wouldn't work. Anyhow, one day, I read in the paper that his brother had died. So I make a condolence call.

After the way he treated you?. "In this job," the Reb said,"you don't retaliate."

So I go to his house, and he sees me. I can tell he is upset. I tell him I am sorry for his loss. And he says, with an angry face, "I envy you."

Why do you envy me ?

"Because when you lose someone you love, you can curse God. You can tell. You can blame him. You can demand to know why. But I don't believe in God. I'm a doctor. And I couldn't help my brother."

He was near tears. "Who do I blame?" he kept asking me. " There is no God. I can only blame myself."

That , he said , softly,is a terrible self-indictment."

Worse than an unanswered prayer?

"Oh yes. It is far more comforting to think God listens and said no, than to think that nobody's out there."

 

Forgive me for writing about "Have a little Faith " by Mitch Albom before talking about "City of Djinns" by William Darymple, which I read first. Its just that I am little lazy and writing about City of Djinns would take more effort :)

 

Mitch Albom, another of my favorite writer whose novels I simply adore, has come up with yet another thought provoking, soul stirring non fiction book which helps you rekindle your belief, hope that something supreme is there who is guiding you forever.

 

Ok not being spiritual :) I will just touch the main points that he highlighted which makes it another of his must read books.

 

Mitch, like in Tuesdays with Morrie, is asked by his ailing 82-year old hometown Rabbi(Jew priest) to deliver his eulogy. Eulogy is the speech that you give at ones funeral , talking about his good character, achievements and how he will be missed.

 

Mitch is stunned when the person whom he describes as the Man next to God, from whom he used to run away at every instance possible. asks him to do his eulogy. Thus starts a series of close meeting , interviews where they discuss about various aspects of lives.

 

Parallely he threads the story of his current town's Christian pastor , Henry,who had a dark past. The man was a criminal ,drug peddler and had served jail term for man - slaughter which he incidentally din't do. He narrates how Henry was given numerous chances to be a good person and everytime he faltered until the day came when he was about to be killed and he beg God to save and in return offered his life in his service. Thus on being saved , he devoted rest of his life in service of fellow human beings. He helped the homeless stay in a broken church where he preached them, served what little food he could manage, provide them what meagre facilities he could afford to fight the terrible cold of America. But despite all this he never lost hope and always motivated and helped others irrespective of their caste, creed or background.

 

When people including Mitch had apprehensions about him because of his terrible past , he said these lines which were so beautiful "You knew me , you knew that person I was but you don't know the person I want to become.", which tells us that sometimes we judge people because of their past when we just need to respect them for their present.

 

With due respect to Christianity and Judaism, I always had an impression that Christianity and Judaism is all about making communities i.e. belonging to a particular church or temple, following customs of a particular group and thats why I am always apprehensive of visiting a church as once a Pastor on seeing me there starting preaching me and dragging me to join their church. So I always thought with this tendency they can be no good. But in this book the Rabbi mentions certain instances when because if these closely knit communities people are provided the much needed financial and more so over moral support when they needed it the most. They were more of an extended family.

 

They talk about many topics like rituals. Rabbi says that rituals followed from generation to generation is what keeps one connected. Gives one the feeling of belonging to some thing.

 

He mentions that being happy is all about being contented and the you die a second death when you are forgotten thats why we all want to do something in our life so that people remember us , years after we have died.

 

When being asked about why marriage or in other words commitment is necessary, he tells that without being on the other side you cannot experience the beautiful things the other side has to offer.

 

The best part about the Reb (Mitch's name to the Rabbi) was that he din't try to give false logic or unconvincing motivation. When being asked why bad things happen to good people , without trying to unduly convince the other person ,he simply says he doesn't know.

When his daughter died at the age of 4, he like a normal person cursed God and got angry with him.

 

He talks about how necessary it is to say the things while you have time even if it is saying sorry to someone.

 

A man buried his wife, he was standing at her gravesite with the Reb. "I loved her", he whispered. "I mean I really loved her". The man broke down. "And I almost told her that once". Nothing haunts like the things we always don't say.

 

The best part was when he talks about various faiths and how a faith that teaches that its the only faith thats true is the most wrong faith in the whole world.

The following story , I don't remember if it was from this same book or I read somewhere else at the same time while I was reading this book, but this is one story that truly describes how all faith are true and they are complementary to each other.

 

Once in a city inhabited by all blind people, a news spread that an elephant is going to pass nearby the city the next day. So the people selected three people to go and find out how does he look like. So next day three blind people reached the spot and soon the elephant arrived . The first one touched his ear and found it to be like a big fan, always swinging, the second one touched his leg and found it like pillar , strong and cylindrical. and the last one touched his trunk and found it like a huge pipe. So each of them went back and reported their version of elephant. Each din't believe others version and were quite adamant that the description they gave was the correct one. Thats true of each religion. Each one of them are true in what they say but neither expect that what they have seen is just a part of it nor they are open to accept what the other person is saying.

 

Although this book talks of faith and Judaism and Christianity in particular but in no way it is making a statement rather like Mitch's previous work this one too makes you think , makes you question the things happening in your life and help you find answer to those.

Books I have read or reading ...

Finally an update on what books I have read since I last updated and what book I am reading currently. Well as I have mentioned in my last books-i-am-reading post I have completed Tuesdays with Morrie next. Its a book which captures Mitch Albom's discussions with his teacher Morrie on various topics concerning life, which happens on Tuesday. Morrie was his college professor and is about to die. Mitch has lost touch with him after college and comes to meet him after hearing about his illness. Like Five people you meet in heaven this book too has certain statements that I liked very much and I have mentioned them in another post on Tuesdays with Morrie.

Needless to say another must read.

Next I read The White Tiger by Arvind Adiga. I am amazed with the liberty these authors take. He so freely used phrases like kissing God's ass and the way he openly called Muslims terrorist. May be this liberty is one criteria that helps them win the Booker. It started well but the ending was disappointing. The books traces the story of Balram who belongs to a small village in Bihar who despite being good student couldn't study because of his economical background but because of his trait of creating and reaping benefits out of any situation he becomes an entrepreneur. Although the book throws light about India, its villages, its disparity in working classes i.e. how a landowner's son inherently becomes the next landlord and a halwai(sweet maker)'s son can only become halwai etc , its corrupted politician and work structure but I don't agree the way it ended , the way Balram easily got away with the crime he committed and started his new prosperous life without caring for the consequences.


Anyways a nice read.


The next came "For one more day" by Mitch Albom. Like with other Mitch Albom books I have read ,from this too I liked certain statements which I have mentioned in another post on that book.
For one more day is a story of an ex baseball player who tries to commit suicide after he fails completely in his life and when even his daughter whom he loved so much doesn't want him around and don't even call him for her wedding. So when he goes to his native place to kill himself there he find his Mom who has already died and this book captures that one day he spends with his mother and when he goes through all the things that has happened in his life. Like all his book this is also must read from my side and its more touching because it captures a son-mother and son-father relation. Have written more about it in the other post I mentioned.


After that I read a sci-fiction novel by Satyajit Ray titled "Adventures of Professor Shonku" translated in English. Its a so -so book as the adventures it talked of were interesting and at times mysterious but the level of suspense and thrill was quite less. Also the main character's power was the scientific discoveries that he had made which were quite in the line of sci-fi like time machine, tablets which could make you immune against any poison or disease etc but like the famous Bomkesh Bakshi who always knew everything this guy also seemed less acceptable.


Then I picked up Bourne Identity by Robert Lundlum. Although I din't wanted to because I always pictured Bourne as Matt Damon whom I don't like. But nevertheless I did and as I have not seen any of the movies from the Bourne series this book was sheer pleasure to read. Its a really gripping book full of twists and mysteries and actions and although I could guess one of the main plot of the book beforehand but still it was worth reading. This book is the first of the trilogy and talks of a person Sam Bourne who has lost his memory and could not remember what his true identity is . So its a story of his struggle to find not only the answers to the questions but to also uncover the various questions that will lead him to his real identity.
I am looking forward to read the other two parts soon too.


Then I picked "Siddhartha" by Herman Hesse. A spiritual and philosophical book on life. Its a fictional story about a Brahmin Siddhartha who lived at the times of Buddha and talks about his journey to find salvation. How he leaves his home at an young age to become an ascetic and then he leaves the sages with whom he was living as he found that all their learnings and practices is not helping him in conquering his self. Then how even after meeting Buddha, the Illustrious One, and listening to his teaching he still doesn't get satisfied and moves further on his journey and then he gets attracted to a courtesan and for her he starts working with a merchant to earn money and how slowly he gets indulged in the mortal life forgetting everything and then one day he realizes his mistake and he leaves everything and decides to die owing to the sins he has committed and then while he is about to take a plunge in the river he experiences a change and realized all his mistakes and decides to become a ferryman as he found that river teached him what he couldn't learn from anywhere else. And then story continues to his meeting the courtesan again who has also bored him a son and how she dies leaving him their son and how his son becomes rebellious as he is not used to a life of poverty and how Siddhartha tries to win him with love despite him being so spoilt and then the boy runs away to town and Siddhartha's longing for him and how he overcomes that and then attains salvation.


I will say a nice read and gives a nice perspective about life , its questions, its answers etc.


Currently I have picked up "The Reluctant Fundamentalist " by Mohsin Hamed. Its a discussion between a Pakistani and an American in Lahore cafe and throws a light on the disparities between the American West and Islamic East. Seems to be a kind of book I want to read about Islam and modern situations in Pakistan. This book was nominated for a large number of awards including the Man Booker. 


Will update in my next post how it was.

For one more day....

Image taken from coverbrowser.com

Another best seller from Mitch Albom after Five people you meet in Heaven and Tuesdays with Morrie. 

For one more day is a story of an ex baseball player who tries to commit suicide after he fails completely in his life.He was a phenomenal player in college but despite being drafted in the major league he couldn't last more than a year and despite all his father's pushing he never makes it back. He has lost his job, his wife has left him long time back, he spends most of his time drinking and doesn't have anyone who cares for him. And when even his only daughter whom he loved so much doesn't want him around and don't even call him for her wedding,he decides to end his life. So when he goes to his native place to kill himself there he find his Mom who has already died and this book captures that one day he spends with his mother and when he goes through all the things that has happened in his life. How he always loved his father the most and how his father left them one day and he blamed his mother for that. In that one day he came to know about the real reasons , the hardships his mother has taken for him.

Since this book talks a lot about a mother it itself becomes quite a touching story.

So here are the statements that I liked a lot from this book and as always my comment on the same.

Mothers support certain illusions about their children and one of my illusions was that I liked who I was, because she did.

Ha ha ha . So true. I always feel that a guy is very lucky at times as he always has two ladies who will always adore him and love him. One his mother and the other his sister. For these two ladies he is always the best. 

What is it about childhood that never lets you go, even when you're so wrecked its hard to believe you ever were a child?

Absolutely sometimes I feel I am the child who used to be so naughty and fun loving when he was a kid and sometimes I can't even imagine that I was that child. 

I can say I adored my mother in the way that boys adore their mothers while taking them for granted.

Hmmm , we guys always know that there is one person who will do everything possible for us like no need to care about whether our clothes are clean and pressed, what we will eat etc, whether we will get up on time for school or college or office etc and sometimes we do take her for granted. 

Her only flaw was that she didn't make me work for it.

A mother never makes a child long for her love or affection, she will never say do this then only you will get this. She will always give you that without making you toil for that. 

Kids chase the love that eludes them . 

And we guys always run for the love of our Dad. I still remember when I was recovering from food poisoning for which I was hospitalized and I went to a doctor for a checkup along with my Mother and my Dad was not in town and I know only how my mother managed everything. So the doctor asked me whom do you love more, Dad or Mom and I said without thinking Dad.

A mountaineer on being asked which is more difficult , Ascending or Descending ? Answered without a doubt descending because ascending you were so focussed on reaching the top you avoided mistakes.

So true.

Tuesdays with Morrie

Its a book which captures Mitch Albom's discussions with his teacher Morrie on various topics concerning life, that happens on Tuesday. Morrie was his college professor and he is about to die. Mitch has lost touch with him after college and comes to meet him after hearing about his illness. 

Morrie has been a guide and more so over a friend to Mitch when he was in college. He used to call him Coach. This book apart from being an inspirational book about life also depicts a lovely teacher - student relation , which I wish I could have. The way he calls him Coach and the way he reads his mind is really worth experiencing.

The book captures Mitch's meetings with Morrie at his house on every Tuesday, I guess around 7-8 Tuesdays. Mitch records each of their meeting in a tape recorder as directed by Morrie as Morrie wants everyone to listen to them even when he is no longer in this world. Every tuesday they meet to discuss one topic on life which includes family, marriage, children, career etc.

This book makes a very interesting and motivational read and like all inspirational books it doesn't tell anything that we already don't know but the way the story is stitched you can always relate to it.

So there are certain statements that are mentioned in the book that I would like to mention here and also comment about. They are as follows:

"Accept what you are able to do and what you are not able to do. Accept the part as past, without denying it or discarding it. Learn to forgive yourself and to forgive others. Don't assume that it's too late to get involved. "

Very true and as also mentioned by Dale Carnegie in one of his books , accepting things as they are is very important aspect of life. You just can't be rebellious about everything all the time. You can't always say No it can't happen to me. I don't deserve it. I guess the best way to overcome something or to do something about anything is to first accept how it is first then only we can be in a better position to overcome it.

  

"A teacher affects eternity;he can never tell where his influence stops" Henry Adams. 

He quotes this quote from Henry Adams and  of course he is damn right. No matter how old we get teachers are one people whom we respect and remember throughout our life. Even when we get highly successful we never fail to mention or remember their teachings which has helped us become what we are.

There is no experience like having children. There is no substitute for it. You cannot do it with a friend. You cannot do it with a lover. If you want the experience of having complete responsibility for another human being, and to learn how to love and bond in the deepest way, then you should have children. 

After reading this statement I again longed to have a child, The way a child loves and trust his parent is something that is must for everyone to experience. Many times I try to find out what we mean by being mature or maturity , although I don't have an answer but I guess one point when I can say that this person is mature or has matured when he is with his children , he somehow has an aura of responsibility, maturity and respect around him.

Devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning. 

Hmmm the last line is quite thought provoking.

Each night when I go to sleep, I die. And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn. - Mahatma Gandhi

I think that it  would be really beneficial if we could practice what Bapu has said. If we could get over all the thoughts , miseries etc when we go to sleep as if we are never going to get up again then when we will get up next day we will definitely feel quite fresh and rejuvenated.

Don't let go too soon, but don't hang on too long.

The question it makes me ask is how long is too long and how soon is too soon? As they say that may be you have been successful if you had just hold on for one more moment or you gave up just before you were about to succeed. I feel the answer to how long or how soon is generally based on intuition.

Five People You Meet in Heaven

Finally I got  the motivation to write about this book that I have read last month, in fact  I have even completed  the predecessor to this book by the same author ,"Tuesdays With Morrie".

 

Well Five People You Meet in Heaven is about Eddie an amusement park mechanic  who dies while saving a child  and then  he starts his journey to heaven where he meets  five people , some of them strangers ,  rest his known ones  but each  of them helps him  understand what all he  went through in his life  on earth.

 

As already mentioned in my previous post , this book made me want to die as soon as possible so that I could find out the reasons or rational behind what all has happened or happening in my life.

Another of must read recommendation from my side. 

Here I am just quoting some of the quotes/statements from that book along with my comments on the same. 

The running boy is inside every man no matter how old he gets. 

Yes I also feel everyone at some point in their life want to run, run aimlessly, run without any purpose or any reason. And I hope that someday I will experience that.

Not being able to speak is good. It helps you listen.

Yep sometimes its so necessary for everyone to stop speaking themselves so that they can listen what the other is saying. 

No life is waste. The only time we waste is the time we spend thinking we are alone.

Ha ha. Need to accept this asap. 

Young men go to war. Sometimes because they have to , sometimes because they want to. Always they feel they are supposed to.

Yes I too feel that when we are young we somehow feel that the only way we can serve our country is by being in the force, fighting at the front. 

Before he can devote himself to God or a woman, a boy will devote himself to his father, even foolishly, even beyond explanation. 

So so true. Can so easily relate to this statement. 

You have peace when you make it with yourself.

Huh. Yes thats the ultimate goal of life i,e, at the end of it we are at least at peace with ourselves.

There are many such statements in this book which make you think, make you look back at life with a purpose to make it more simple and acceptable to oneself.

Will soon share the experience of reading "Tuesdays with Morrie."

Its even better than this one.

Another update on Books I am reading...

Finally I completed "O Jerusalem" a week back.

The story of the struggle of the Jews and Arabs to acquire a land of their own was constantly interrupted by my own effort to  buy my own plot :)

I picked up this book because I was curious about the story of Jews , who are they, why they are being subjected to so many hostilities. 

This book doesn't deal about these subjects rather it talks about the days,events around creation of Israel and the fight for Jerusalem.

Israel is the country of Jews and its creation was opposed by the whole Arab world as the Jews were immigrants who came to this area as their ancestors were from this area but they have been long thrown out of these area by the Arabs but after World War II the Jews of Palestine fought for their own land and finally after UN approval they got their own land but Arabs opposed it as they were the current owner of these lands and they wanted Jews to be put under their rule but Jews opposed that and thus started the war of 1948 between the Arabs and Jews for the acquisition of land and the main piece of Cake called Jerusalem as Jerusalem is regarded as the birth place of three religions Christianity , Muslims and Zionists (Jews).

Seeing this UN proposed the internationalization of Jerusalem and divided the rest of Palestine between Jews and Arabs. Now it was not acceptable mainly by Arabs so they attacked the Jews.

By the end of this book Jerusalem(which is currently capital of Israel) was still divided among Arabs and Jews when ceasefire is called and it was won by Jews after the Six-Day war of 60's.

This book is another example of how a single moment can change the face of the complete history.

It also showed how a relatively small but organized bunch of people can defend themselves against a relatively large but diverse army.

I think after Italy and African Safari, now Jerusalem is the third place on my list of must visit places :)

Dominique Lapiere and Larry Collins, just like Freedom of Midnight, have written this book brilliantly.

Currently I am reading "Five people you meet at Heaven" by Mitch Albom. I have read half the book and its truly amzaing, a must read.

Its one book which after reading has made me want to die quickly so that I can reach heaven or hell as it says that Heaven(After Death) is the place where you get to analyze your life on earth, why everything happened, what was the good for you in it etc.

Will give a complete review once I complete it.