There are some books which are destined to be read. For me this is one. It was there in my TBR list for quite a while. And then I met two new book lovers, they invited me to their home, showed me their books and offered me a book of my choice from their collection. There were three Murakamis and one Paul Kalanithi. I don't know what made me pick Paul over Murakami. But I don't regret it now.
Nothing can turn breath to air but death. What happens when you come face to face with the inevitable death? Everyone of us will die. There is no running away from the ultimate truth, death. But we can do something or the other, an act of goodness, a helping hand, which will keep us alive in the memory of others, for a very long time even after we are gone. And I guess that's the only way to immortality.
Reading Paul's transition from a successful neurosurgeon to a cancer patient, I felt all he wanted to do by writing this book was to give us, the readers, a glimpse at what it is like to face mortality. and tell us the best way to do that is to embrace it with integrity. Not many people can do that. He did.
I have never felt so touched and moved after reading a book, like I felt while reading When Breath Becomes Air. Maybe this is one such moment for me which make you look back and introspect and live a meaning life, at least from now. After all, it's the way we lived that matters and not the days.
I hope and request everyone who sees this post to read this book. Its not depressing, its inspirational, its about a brave man who lived and died with integrity.
Paul, you still live in our hearts..
