Quakes that Rebuilt my life: enlightenment or insanity

By Saurabh Gupta

Set in the twenty-first century, the modern era, where most people are busy with their daily chores and gadgets, and hardly have any time for self-realization, this story is based on a similar young character. He was different in the sense that he was aware of this problem.
The real story, describes how he underwent a sudden change in his thought process after the quakes of November 12th, 2013. The new thought process, which made his life simpler, brought with it plenty of happiness. The happiness ignited in him a strange desire to write a book. In the book, he mentions descriptions of some of his ‘post-quake’ days, the negativities and dilemmas which he occasionally faced as a teenager, how he overcame them and how the quakes changed his perspective towards life. He illustrates how introspection can bring a beautiful change in life.
But excess of anything is bad – this holds true for happiness too. It created a new dilemma for him: Was it some enlightenment, or was it insanity?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Notion Press
• Release date: Nov 3, 2014
• ISBN: 9789383808571

Book preview

References

Chapter 1

The Present

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"The only thing that makes life possible is

permanent, intolerable uncertainty; not knowing what comes next"

– Ursula Le Guin

Why Did I start writing today?

(23rd November, 2013 9:30 pm)

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"Life is an ever-shifting kaleidoscope; a slight

change and all patterns alter"

– Susan Salsberg

Well. You might have heard Change is the only constant. But did you ever think what the only certain thing in life is? If your guess is Uncertainty then you are right. This is what I began to realize on the 15 th of November 2013, the first day of recovery after my recent illness.

Today is 23rd November, 2013. And just like the previous few nights, I was feeling good the whole night. Beautiful thoughts paraded in a very orderly manner in my mind, and I could very well feel that I am so fortunate to be alive. I was enjoying each and every breath I was breathing in and breathing out.

The only point of concern was that why no one is able to understand me. Although I was least bothered about what others are thinking of me, I was happy about the talk I had with my parents before we came to bed. (That’s right! I was asked to sleep with them. Maybe they too were worried about me!). But the best part was my whole-hearted cry after the talk. Paradoxical, right? Actually when you cry in your mother’s arms after a very long period (I don’t even remember the last time), it feels really comforting. And then they asked me to sleep with them.

As I mentioned, I was not at all sleepy. Just felt grateful that I was alive. (Dear reader. Please don’t try to diagnose me with a disorder. I have visited a professional in the evening today. So just relax, read and enjoy). Suddenly a thought arose; "Creative thought of the night": Write a book. The joy I was feeling, and the desire to crawl out of my comfort zone, had really invited this thought. A perfect book: Just for me. Maybe for my sister and parents, if they are interested. At least I can uninhibitedly vent out my feelings. I had spoken the minimum for the past 19+ years. So I decided, let’s start today. And again was back enjoying my breaths. I don’t remember how/when I fell