Life lessons from a book!

 

There are many ways that inspiration flows into our life. It could be from an image, or from a story, or a person or a book.

Today, I read a book which is not just a book. It is a journey from humble origins to what could be considered as the most coveted position in our country. It is the story of a man who rose to unimaginable heights, yet stayed firmly rooted to his origins and retained his moral ethics and values.

The book I am referring to is titled My Journey – Transforming Dreams into Actions. And the author is none other than the People’s President, the Missile Man of India, our own APJ Abdul Kalam.

I was going to write a review in very few lines in a reader’s group that I am in. But something didn’t feel right about limiting into few lines, the shower of inspiration and hope that this book bestowed on me. Hence this blog post about a book that came into my life at the right time.

The narrative takes us to simpler and better times of life. As APJ describes how the sound of the sea was a constant presence in his life during his childhood (having lived in Rameshwaram), one can imagine a coastal town guarded on one side by the sea, its waves gently lapping in the wind in rhythm. One could easily get used to this divine music!

There are many noteworthy instances that APJ has shared in this book. I would like to share a few here.

To start with, APJ started working as a newspaper delivery boy at the age of – 8! He would rush off to the station during early morning hours. The newspaper bundles would be flung at the platform from the train and APJ would hastily gather the same and start distributing them. Once, after delivering the newspapers, APJ came home feeling very tired and hungry. As his mother started preparing hot rotis, he devoured them hastily, one after another until his hunger was sated. After a while. APJ’s brother took him to a side and reprimanded him sharply, asking him – Have you no shame? Our parents struggle a lot to make ends meet. There is just about enough food for everyone. And you just ate heartily, not sparing a thought that there isn’t anything left for mother now? On hearing this, APJ fell into deep remorse. He mentions in the book that it took him several days to face his mother after this incident.

Another noteworthy incident is about his best friend who was a Brahmin boy. APJ and this boy always sat in the same bench at school. A new teacher was appointed for the class. On the first day, he noticed the Brahmin boy seated beside the cap-wearing APJ and urged APJ to sit at the back of the class. This incident came to the notice of APJ’s father.

Here I need to mention an important point. APJ’s father, who was the head of the mosque, the priest of the temple of Lord Shiva in Rameshwaram and a Father of a nearby church – these three were a close-knit group. They met regularly to discuss about the welfare of the village and its people. They took upon themselves, the task of maintaining religious unity and harmony in the village. These three heads of different religious groups met the said teacher and in a very gentle manner, they taught him that such kind of discrimination didn’t exist in Rameshwaram and that he should set a better example as a teacher to his students!

APJ’s outlook towards his difficulties and failures is more inspiring than his success stories! With a spirit of stoicism, APJ calmly accepted every failure, allowed himself some time to muse over it and began again with renewed determination.  

In this book, APJ has mentioned how the people in his life affected him, guided him and made him what he was destined to be. It is remarkable how APJ owed every little bit of success and achievement to the people in his life, without taking any credit for himself! At the end of the book, APJ has written a touching tribute to these people:

“While telling their stories, their presence has become more deeply felt than ever before for me. The germination of thoughts planted in my soul by these people has continued years after they left my side. When I have shared these with you, my reader, I hope some seeds have been planted in your minds too, the way they once came to me. This transfer of thoughts and ideas, ideals and principles is a part of the circle that is life.”

I can go on and on about what a wonderful book this is, and what a humble personality APJ was. But I would like to end it here in APJ’s own words as he ended the book:

“Hard work and piety, study and learning, compassion and forgiveness – these have been the cornerstones of my life. I have now shared with the world the roots of these features. In fact, any life that has been lived to the full, when talked about with others, is a treasure house of thoughts and feelings that add lustre to the wonder that is life. In the process, if they also give my readers wings and help them to fire their dreams, I believe I would have played my small part in the scheme of life that destiny placed me in.

You did, APJ. You certainly did. And we will always be grateful to you.