Book Review #13
Over the past week, I read a short but very complex book. Because, poetry is not my thing, I struggled to absorb the 26 poem summary titled "The Prophet" written by Kahlil Gibran, the celebrated Lebanese-American writer whose superb quotes we often encounter in the context of philosophical situations. The book came out in 1923, got translated in over 100 languages, sold 9 million copies, and has never been out of print.
In the book, the Prophet, Al Mustafa, after living in the city of Orphalese for 12 years is ready to board his ship to return to where he came from and at this point, so many different people ask him to speak about many things ranging from love, marriage, children, giving, eating, work, joy and sorrow, houses, clothes, buying and selling, crime and punishment, laws, freedom, reason and passion, pain, friendship, time, good & evil, prayer, pleasure, beauty, religion, and death. Despite my poetry grasping challenges, a few insights were indeed memorable in my opinion
Marriage: Marriage is an eternal joining of souls in love, but there must be spaces in that togetherness: room for the two souls to breathe. It is like the supporting pillars of a temple. "The oak tree and cypress, cannot grow in each other's shadow"
Children: Parents do not possess their children but are their caretakers. Don't try to make them think and behave as a parent would. They are the sons and daughters of Life and belong to tomorrow.
Giving: A person truly gives, when they give of the self, not of their possessions. Possessions are temporary things, a useless safeguard against the fear of need. In other words, when one gives up possessiveness, one becomes spiritually free and able to truly give.
Eating & Drinking: To eat and to drink are necessary, but they are violent acts against living things. Therefore, they must be acts of worship and remember every person will also give up their life one day as they are governed by the same natural laws.
Work: Work is a natural part of life and keeps the worker in rhythm with time and the seasons. All work is noble when it is performed with love. Work without love generates an indifferent, inferior end product that is best not done at all.
Freedom: People become enslaved to the idea of freedom. People wish to free themselves from care, want, and grief. But true freedom comes from accepting and rising above them.
Prayer: You pray in times of stress and need, but you should also pray in times of joy and abundance. As you listen in the stillness of the night, you will hear the words of God speaking through you. He knows what you need and desire before you do.
Religion: Religion is all the person's deeds and all their reflections. Faith cannot be separated from actions nor belief from life pursuits. The activities of daily life are a person's temple and religion, as are the people in their life.
Overall, a good read and possibly a gift if you appreciate poetry
#bookreview #KahlilGibran #life
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