A few days back I happened to visit the family of my husband’s friend in Chandigarh. Being in dilemma what to take for the sister of the house, a bibliophile like me decided book would be best. Sector 17 the happening place of Chandigarh luckily showed 2 bookstores. Now the unlucky part, I never thought that bookstores of Doon and Chandigarh are way off track. Most of the bookstore cater to stationary and school needs and not as such “novel utopia”. Yet I tried my luck and asked for The Last Lecture by Randy Pauch. The owner actually knew about it and we got to buy it. My husband who never doubted my reading skill asked what the book is about. I told him that the book is about a lecturer who comes to know he is going to die. When the author was asked to give a lecture which would be called his last lecture of life, he decided to make it worthwhile. he discussed his dreams, his learning, his fulfilling of each bucket list and in the end, each of these details is surmised in a line of advice. “So he dies”? was my perplexed husband question. He just couldn’t fathom why would I gift someone a swan song.
I never saw The Last lecture as a depressing genre. Its words are pure. A person who happens to see the ending of life can write from the soul. It gives an insight into “human learning”. Nothing manipulative about the words. A book like this touches your soul and at the same time make one understand the greatest gift of God. A small life should also be made worthwhile by living each day to the fullest and making memories on the way.
The second book on the same genre sad but not depressing is When Breath becomes air by Paul Kalanithi. A neurosurgeon who was treating patients finds himself patient at the age of 36. His struggle to accept the Cancer and write about his thoughts in a beautiful book. Being a successful neurosurgeon and professor, he could have written many experiences, much gospel of medicine but as rightly put by Abraham Verghese, he chose to write about time. The ultimate truth and non-reversing and most valuable time.
These books are the insight into life. They definitely talk about individual loss which no one can fill in, yet aren’t we all bubbles on this planet. At least we get so much inspiration to fight everyday battles and accept the value of life.
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