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.

Books I have read or reading ....

Its been a while since I updated about the books that I have read or reading.

In the last year I have read more than 20 books so on that front it was a remarkable year. It also firmed my believe that one should never stop reading. Although I started regular reading late but now it is something that I want to carry on for life.

So in the last few months I have read Freedom at Midnight by Dominique Lapiere and Larry Collins and must say a must read book for every Indian. Its a non fiction book that covers the events that happened in and around India's independence year including the partition, its reason, effects, who was responsible, how it was carried, the events before and after it. Then it mentioned in detail about Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi), his decision and stances during those troubled times, how he single handedly averted the ill effects of partition in Bengal when even 55000 policemen could do nothing in Punjab.

This book touched certain aspects of Bapu's life and beliefs which both increased and diminished my respect for him.

It also covered in detail his assassination by the Hindu extremists. Infact the authors reconstructed the complete assassination bid with the help of Nathuram Godse's brother and surviving convicts.

Since the book is written by foreigners (read non Hindu or non Muslim) so I really believe in the authenticity of the content, although they have been accused of being pro-British because of their elongated meetings with Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, during their research for this book.

They are so many incidents that are nerve wrecking and hair raising so I will really recommend reading it for all those who want to know about India's recent history. The world renowned movie Gandhi's some part were based on this book.

After that I read Two States by Chetan Bhagat and as I had already mentioned its a lovely entertaining book, maybe I liked it because it does not deal with teenage or collegiate romance. It talks about the part after the mushy mushy part is done with i.e. the part which involves marriage and parents. Its both amusing as well as highlights the two different cultures of India in such a way that you can both relate as well as feel pity at the irrational traditions. But its indeed according to me the best book of Chetan Bhagat.

After that I started with Papillon which is an autobiography of Henri Charriere a french convict who falsely get accused with a murder and is sentenced to life imprisonment in the hostile prisons of French penal settlement at an young age of 25. So its a story of his stay or rather escapes from these prisons. His continued failed attempts and the brutality mentioned in the prisons is what makes its an interesting read.

This book was recommended by my colleague who spoke very highly about it telling me that once picked you won't be able to keep it down till you complete it and you will definitely be impressed by it. And I will say I wasn't disappointed , but despite being constantly highlighted by the author that he is suffering miserably for no wrongdoings of his, it failed to stir any feelings of sympathy in me for him. I never felt how sad but yes his courage, luck and bravery is really commendable. A really intriguing and adventurous story.

Currently I am reading O Jerusalem another controversial topic covered by Dominique Lapiere and Larry Collins. Jerusalem and in fact the conflict between Jews, Arabs and Christians is something that fascinates me and something about which I am curious. I have just started it and will give my comments later but have heard its indeed a masterpiece.

So that's all on reading front. Will keep updating and do recommend me some interesting reads.