“Having spent more than seven decades watltzing with life, one wonders if there is anything more to know about.
So when I casually glanced at the book Is Life As We Know it? I thought to myself, ‘another tale of tales’ 😊 and I walked away.
Perhaps something about the colour of the book, the flower, or the question made me go back to it.
I thought to myself ‘Good for my grandchild, he will learn a thing or two.'
My grandchild’s reaction surprised me. He looked at it and said “nice orange”.
“Want to read it?” I asked.
“Oh no! I am busy living it. Perhaps at your age, I may…..”
“Good, but not original” I told him.
He replied, “I knew you will know where it’s from ‘Russell and …”
We both laughed.
Chapter closed.
Book back on the shelf.
A few days later I glanced at the book again. This time I went through a few pages.
I continued reading it more for the style than the content. The path of life has taught me a lot at every curb.
There was something about the flow of words - there was a rhythm, a soft melody that kept me glued to the book. I seemed to be enjoying reading it because of an inner poetic nuance in the written words.
Be that flower, the last page of the chapter ‘Believe and Trust’ was mesmerising. It reminded me of an Urdu couplet…
“Kaha meine gul ka hein kitna sabaat,
Kali ne yeh sunkar tabassum kiya”.
As I read on I realized that the author had taken this verse to a completely different level – a philosophical idea becomes spiritual. ‘Prayer’.
How right my grandchild was!
I am still on the steep learning curve. If there is music in the book, there are lessons which I did not learn. Was I on the fast track? Is my life as I know it?
I must read this book again. This time not as a book of free verse.
This book is more than what I thought it to be.
I gave a copy of the book to my friend, a Psychoanalyst and said ‘read it’.
He said, “oh no! Not another ‘Ancient Mariner stuff.”
I smiled and said, “yes it’s Coleridge once again with a Mariner relieved and the albatross revived!
“Is it so?”
“Yes,” I said. “Read it!!”
- FAUZIA ANSARI
UNITED STATES