"I must say a word about fear. It is life's only true opponent" is a famous quote from Yann Martel's Life of Pi.
I had watched the movie "Life of Pi" when I was just a teenager. I liked the screenplay, I frowned upon the unrealistic expectations from a tiger, I didn't feel any 'emotions' or had a 'philosophical' take when I watched it in the theatres. Almost a decade and more later, I was strolling through the Airport lounge when I came across the book. It had been a while I had read a fiction novella, and I still remembered a few scenes off the movie - so I thought of going ahead and buying the book.
The book was catching dust on a shelf for about 6 months when my eyes fell upon it all over again, and I then picked it up. Finally. To read.
It starts off with a great deal of knowledge around what a zoo is like, a zookeeper's life is like, what animal tendencies are like. Then it starts off with the actual drama - the ocean, the tiger and the storms. It's a gripping narrative, an even more gripping storyline filled with suspense and survival lessons. Now you'd think that these survival lessons are for the folks who have a chance of being a castaway on an ocean with a tiger - chances of which would be one out of a million.
But if there was a Philosophical twin to this book, it would tell you that there are great many lessons that you can pick - nitpick - and use it in your day-to-day life.
On being at the rock bottom -
The tennis challenger starts strong but soon loses confidence in his playing. The champion racks up the games. But in the final set, when the challenger has nothing left to lose, he becomes relaxed again. Insouciant. Daring. Suddenly he’s playing like the devil and the champion must work hard to get those last points.
We'd assume that we are the most vulnerable when we are at our rock bottom, but the book and its story goes on to tell us otherwise. When we have nothing to lose - are at a very worse - we are the strongest. So at that very point, we have two choices to make: 1). To bounce back up and keep pushing forward and upward. Or 2). Keep staying at the rock bottom, thinking it's not the worse yet.
When you have nothing to lose, you tend to give your all. You tend to push back with more aggression, be more strategic and get back stronger. Like a devil.
On self-talk and your inner voice-
I was giving up. I would have given up – if a voice hadn’t made itself heard in my heart. The voice said “I will not die. I refuse it. I will make it through this nightmare. I will beat the odds, as great as they are. I have survived so far, miraculously. Now I will turn miracle into routine.
The power of self-talk. Do you remember a reel had gone viral not long ago where an athlete talked herself into making a high jump and breaking her own record. It's almost as if Pi did the same. At the verge of giving up, he could have sat there on the boat and cribbed about how unfair life is, grieve about the loss of his family, give into the hunger of the tiger in front of him, start feeling sick of the sea - but he talked himself into fighting each one of these head-on.
If you read the book, you'll realise this was the best thing he could have ever done to himself. This was one of the most powerful scenes where he gets back up, and brushes off all the overwhelming emotions that were beginning to cloud his judgment and senses.
On closures-
It's important in life to conclude things properly. Only then can you let go. Otherwise you are left with words you should have said but never did, and your heart is heavy with remorse.
Now closures come in various forms. Closures come in the form of "talking it out", "sorting it out", "getting it from others", "talking yourself into letting go", and "letting go". But whatever the form a closure takes, it has to come by.
As long as we have a word with ourselves - in the dark - all alone with no chaos to disrupt our thoughts - our minds, hearts, inner children would be okay moving on. But running away from something, hiding it under the carpet or the closet - would only infuriate every fibre in our body.
Closures are necessary. They are dependent on quite a lot of things, sure, but you can't let go off anything until you talk to yourself (and your inner child).
On survival instincts-
Life will defend itself no matter how small it is.
Call it reflex action, call it survival instinct or call it the will to live - call it whatever you wish like, but we all have it. We all have these instincts in quite a heavy capacity. If you observe closely, the will to live is so strong that one can argue that suicides too, in a way, are a will to "live" or lack thereof.
Now since we know that we all have that survival instinct to "survive", the question then arises of what we do of this instinct? - The answer is: Strive for greatness.
Surviving is the skill we all possess, now we need to build on it to rise above and strive for greatness and make the most of each second that comes by.
Part-II is on its way.
Comentários