Prerna had suggested I read this book. No that’s not correct.

She had mentioned she had read and loved these books. Then asked if I had read these books - I had said no. And that had been that. She had then ordered this book for my father on his birthday.

While holidaying in India, I found this book in the drawer, half read by my father. So I picked it up, took a picture of the pages my father had read it to (to put the bookmark at the correct place after I was done), and started reading it.

This is a small book. Nothing spectacular about the cover, the object that is this book.

But the subject was interesting. It presents as fact that reincarnations happen, that the soul is indestructible, that we are sent here on earth (or rather choose to come here on earth) to learn lessons, that there are souls in a higher plane that guide us.

All of these are Hindu concepts. These are things that I know about, but don’t believe in. Prerna does though. She had told me often that your mother has already taken birth somewhere. She is not gone.

I appreciated the gesture but.

I like reading books like this. Books that challenge my worldview. Though the book at times felt like the author writing about the stories the patient says based on the point they wanted to make.

It was not engaging in that way. I wanted to say this is fiction. But that may be mind rebelling, making sure I mark this as fiction as un-real.

A compelling read this.

Notes

“People of the religious orders have come closer than any of us have because they’ve taken these vows of chastity and obedience. They’ve given up so much without asking for anything in return. The rest of us continue to ask for rewards—rewards and justifications for our behavior … when there are no rewards, rewards that we want. The reward is in doing, but doing without expecting anything … doing unselfishly.