The 10 Principles: Amber Hope and The God of Wisdom

By Prashant Mittal

Let's not hate the haters, when the world is educated enough it will change by itself.

This book aims to provide readers with a clear and accessible understanding of important and complex subjects, regardless of their background, beliefs, or experiences. It is written with great care and sensitivity to ensure that no topic is approached in a way that would harm or offend any group, regardless of their similarities or differences. The book covers a wide range of important topics deeply interconnected within our lives, including empowerment, corruption, equality, freedom, self-control, evolution, and the meaning of success. Through exploring these themes in depth, readers will gain new insights into the forces that shape our world and how we can all strive for a better future. Whether you're a seasoned scholar or a curious beginner, this book will provide valuable perspectives on some of the most pressing issues of our time. Its engaging style and comprehensive coverage make it an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the complexities of the current world.

While many books cover the subjects explored in this book, they often do so in a very complex and detailed way, making it difficult for many people, especially young people, to engage with. As a result, these topics can seem distant and irrelevant, despite their significant impact on our lives. This book takes a different approach, seeking to generate clarity, relevance, and interest among readers of all ages and backgrounds. The book provides readers with a holistic understanding of the complex forces that shape our world by exploring multiple interconnected topics as outlined above. By studying these topics together, readers can gain a deeper appreciation of the interdependence of different aspects of life and how they influence each other. It is especially important for younger readers, who may still need to experience or fully understand these elements of life personally. Ultimately, this book seeks to inspire readers to think critically about the world around them, to question assumptions, and to take action to create a more appropriate and unbiased future for all.

Every lesson in this book is distributed into two parts. The first part is the tale of a young girl Amber Hope, which portrays several key learnings about the world we live in, the society we are a part of, and the considerations that we should apply in our deeds and acts. Amber represents the positivity and belief in the victory of good over evil. Amber is the colour of the sunrise which brings hope to the world that the end of the dark tunnel is not too far. The second part of each lesson is constructed with stories, examples, theories and facts, all glued together with observations, understandings, and conclusions. Amber Hope's stories explain each lesson in an easy and interesting format attainable to the readers.

My ambition for this book is to become a beloved part of everyone's entertainment. I envision family members and friends reading it aloud to each other during travel and events and as a fun evening activity. By making the book accessible and engaging, I hope to inspire people to engage with these important topics, fostering lively discussions and debates that deepen their understanding of the world and each other. This shared experience can help build stronger bonds between them and a greater sense of shared purpose and commitment to creating a better future for all. So, whether people are gathered up on the couch, venturing on a road trip, or assembled around the dinner table, I hope this book will spark meaningful conversations and inspire new ways of thinking about the world we all share.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Prashant Mittal
• Release date: May 5, 2024
• ISBN: 9798893795707

Book preview

The 10 Principles

Amber Hope and The God of Wisdom

PRASHANT MITTAL

Illustrations sourced from Adobe Stock

Copyright © 2024 Prashant Mittal

First Edition 2024

All rights reserved.

No part of the book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without written permission from the author, except for one-to-two sentence direct quotes attributed to this book.

No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the author assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, nor is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of any information contained herein.

All terms mentioned in this book that are known to be trademarks or service marks have been appropriately capitalised. The author does not attest to the accuracy of these terms of information. Use of a term in this book should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark. Any product names, logos, brands, and other trademarksTM or registered® trademarks or images featured or referred to within the book are property of their respective trademark holders; their use does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by the holders.

All characters and other entities appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, dead or alive, or other real-life entities, past or present, is purely coincidental.

DEDICATION

My name is Prashant Mittal, and I am a software architect, a creative thinker, and a strategic advisor for digital transformations for global organisations. I am a married man and a father of a nine-year-old daughter. My parents have played significant and distinctive roles in my life. My father’s commitment as a teacher and passion for teaching planted in me a deep appreciation for the power of education. His influence helped me develop a hunger for knowledge, motivation towards continuous evolution with the help of learning and unlearning, and the meaning of freedom. Equally influential has been the role of my mother as a devoted homemaker. Her selflessness and ability to create a warm and comforting home have taught me the importance of empathy, compassion, and the value of emotional well-being. Her nurturing presence and constant support have created a loving and secure environment for me to unwind. Her constant encouragement and belief in me have given me the faith to pursue my dreams and face challenges head-on. My parents provided me with a balanced upbringing, combining the values of education, dedication, love, and support, which shaped my character and my future aspirations. Furthermore, my grandfather played a pivotal role as a freedom fighter, making substantial contributions to India’s liberation from British colonisation. He was an invaluable mentor throughout my childhood, offering guidance and wisdom beyond problem-solving. His deep teachings inspired me about the dangerous effects of corruption, fostered a deep appreciation for equality, and imparted an understanding of the true meaning of success.

I was born in India and spent my formative years there. With my family’s support and motivation, I had the privilege of completing my higher education in computer science. Initially, I embarked on my professional journey as a teacher, equipping me with valuable communication and knowledge-sharing skills. However, as I was driven by my passion for software development, I transitioned into the dynamic field of software development to gain hands-on experience. For several years, I worked as a part of an offshore development team, collaborating with colleagues to deliver innovative solutions for diverse projects. However, as my career progressed, I strongly desired to work onsite close to the customers. Hence, I made a bold decision to relocate to Sweden. By moving to Sweden, I aimed to seize new opportunities that would allow me to work closely with customers, assisting them in their digital transformation journeys. This shift represented a pivotal moment in my professional journey, as it expanded my horizons and enabled me to apply my technical expertise in a more customer-focused and outcome-oriented manner. Since I joined Microsoft Sweden, I got exposed to global companies across the European region and beyond. I have embraced this chance to develop meaningful relationships with customers, understanding their unique needs and leveraging my skills to contribute to their growth and success.

My philosophy is that life is not a race towards status, money, fame, or power; it is not just about working, eating, sleeping, or entertainment. Life is short; hence, we must have a definite purpose. I don’t want to become anything or anyone in my life. For me achieving success in life means we generate continuous and measurable impacts on our society, our environmental sustainability, or any form of life on our planet. It’s impossible that you always succeed in everything you do, but you must keep learning from successes and failures and use that experience to perform better than before. Each day if I have learned something new; if I have generated a positive impact; if I can see myself improved from yesterday, or if I have done at least one creative thing; then my day is successful.

My father was a beloved teacher, a mentor to so many and an inspiring model of honesty and integrity, and my grandfather had bravely suffered for his political beliefs. Unfortunately, I lost both my grandfather and father in the past years. Hence, I want to dedicate this book to my late father, Rakesh Kumar Mittal, and my late grandfather Sri Krishan Mittel. Both amazing individuals lived with honesty, integrity, courage, and commitment, setting a standard for us all to aspire to. Their uncompromising commitment to living with their beliefs and doing what is right, even in the face of hardship, has been a constant source of guidance and inspiration in my life. This book is a tribute to their memories and a testament to their lasting impact on my life.

OVERTURE

Fragmented digital ecosystems and disconnected data sources are common problems across organisations and industries worldwide. As a Software Architect, I often experience that most customer organisations face one common challenge: bringing all their data together. They own a lot of data distributed among various disconnected applications and on the local drives of their employees. All this data represents different versions of similar information. Due to these data silos and digital fragmentation, those organisations fail to utilise in developing a centralised golden source of truth. Without this centralised common data repository, they fail to derive data-driven decision-making or utilise data for process automation and intelligence such as future predictions, forecasting, or recommendation generation. The inaccessibility of the right information, at the right time, for the right people, causes severe damage to the organisations, such as high cost of operations due to manual and redundant tasks, poor return of investments due to unmet business outcomes, and compromised employee and customer experience.

Let’s take some examples from different industries. Retail companies that still need to solve the problems of unifying and enriching their customer data in a centralised place struggle to manage seamless customer experience across different channels. Hence, when customers visit the store, the website, the mobile app, or the contact centre, they receive conflicting information or irrelevant promotions. It leads to a lack of faith and trust in the brand. For banks, if the customer data is scattered, the bank representatives struggle to access the latest information, including customer complaints and interests. Hence, they often miss cross-selling opportunities from generating personalised recommendations. Let’s take another example from the healthcare industry: an incomplete patient profile can lead to ineffective treatment coordination, increased risk of medical errors and compromise patient safety. Hence, ensuring a three-sixty-degree view of the data containing customer’s or patient’s demographics, firmographics, behaviour, and transaction information has become a fundamental necessity across industries worldwide. This holistic outlook allows organisations to gain invaluable insights into their target audience, facilitate personalised experiences, and drive impactful decision-making.

This book is a consolidated summary of data collected from various sources, such as experiences, learnings, and observations of my life. My journey started in the small city of Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, in north India, where I received my early life education. I lived there with my parents, sisters, and grandparents. My grandmother passed away when I was twelve, but I got to spend a lot of my time with my grandfather. He was quite strict at times but also very kind and motivating. My two sisters and I listened to an infinite number of stories from our grandfather when we were young. Sometimes those stories were about his life experiences, and other times complete fantasies that he used to create on the fly. 

When I was seventeen years old, I left my home and relocated to my maternal aunt’s place in Lucknow, the capital of the state of Uttar Pradesh, to complete my pre-graduation studies. I made some good friends there; my best friend was my cousin. We had a lot of fun together, such as exploring the city’s historical treasures and watching countless Bollywood movies.

After staying for one year in Lucknow, I relocated to my paternal uncle’s place in Meerut, another small city in Uttar Pradesh, to complete my graduation in Computer Science. It was a golden period of my life with tons of best friends. Customer science was a new domain for me; however, it was the right one I had been searching for all my life. I had studied science during my pre-graduation schooling, but many students in my class were not from a science background. Hence every day after lectures, I used to teach mathematics and various other subjects to all my classmates. I had picked up logic building and computer programming very well; hence, I supported my classmates in the project assignments. After graduation, I left my uncle’s place and moved to a hostel in the same city for my post-graduation. During my post-graduation, I started to work as a visiting faculty in my college for graduate students. I was teaching various Computer Science subjects during this tenure and was getting admiration from almost my age students. It was an extraordinary experience; however, as I had always been fascinated with computer programming, I started working as a web developer in ASP technology in parallel. After a while, I cautiously decided and stopped working as visiting faculty and continued my journey as a software engineer.

After almost six years in Meerut, I moved to New Delhi, the capital of India, with one of my friends. The intention was to explore bigger career opportunities. In New Delhi, we rented a shared room, and after some struggle, I got a new job as a software engineer in a small local company. It was a bigger city with higher competition. Hence in my new job, I was assigned a probation period of one month, which I was asked to complete with two more candidates. After the end of the month, the most suitable performer was desired to continue, and the other two were supposed to leave the company. This time the technology required was ASP.Net. It was an advanced version of ASP, and I needed to gain skills and experience. Hence, I decided to take it as an opportunity to learn ASP.Net. I joined a course in ASP.Net in Noida, a city in Uttar Pradesh close to New Delhi, as the same course in New Delhi was too expensive for me. I used to travel to Noida every morning on my motorbike to learn ASP.Net and then to my office in New Delhi. Finally, I outperformed the competition of the probation period, and the other two candidates had to, unfortunately, leave the position. 

After almost one year working in that company, I got a job offer from a multi-national software company Accenture in Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka, in south India. After deep thinking, I finally packed my bag and relocated to Bangalore. Bangalore is a different place as compared to North India. The language, culture, and traditions were all different and overwhelming initially. I started to live there in a hostel but later moved to a separate room as a paying guest. In Accenture, I got my first opportunity to go outside India and visit Stockholm, Sweden, for six months on a project assignment. From India to Sweden was a new world for me. It was an experience as if I was living in a dream. After six months in Stockholm, I returned to Bangalore and continued in Accenture. At the age of twenty-eight, I married my wife, Meenu. I, along with my wife Meenu, continued to live in Bangalore for almost four years. During this period, I visited Stockholm several times for different project assignments.

During my last project assignment in Stockholm, I got an offer to join Avanade as a software consultant. I made this decision with my wife Meenu, and we relocated to Stockholm. After almost one and a half years in Stockholm, our daughter Alisha came into our life. I continued to work in Avanade for almost four and a half years, and in this duration, I got a chance to visit various European countries, such as Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Italy, France, Spain, and Finland, for both work and leisure reasons.

After leaving Avanade, I joined Microsoft as a software architect. I have worked at Microsoft as a software architect for over seven years. During this period, I visited various countries in and outside of Europe, such as Switzerland, Greece, Croatia, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the United Arab Emirates, for work and leisure reasons. Three years back, I published my first book, The Theory of Creativity. After joining Microsoft, I travelled a lot to be at customer sites. During the past years, I lost both my grandfather and father. My mother is still in India and lives with my elder sister. Since the pandemic hit the world, I started working from home. However, after the pandemic, I have transitioned to a hybrid mode of work, which means traveling to the customer site when necessary and working from home otherwise.

The purpose of this book is not to discover new theories or facts fully unknown to the world but to bring the existing theories and facts together and make them accessible to all readers. Every lesson in this book is distributed into two parts. The first part is the story of Amber Hope, a young girl who represents positivity and belief in the victory of good over evil. Amber is the colour of the sunrise which brings hope to the world that the end of the dark tunnel is not too far. Amber Hope’s stories explain each lesson in an easy format accessible to readers of all ages. The second part of each lesson is constructed with stories, examples, theories and facts, all glued together with observations, understandings, and conclusions. During my four decades of life span, I have got a chance to know, meet, and work with many people from extremely diverse backgrounds based on different cultures, customs, religions, traditions, experiences, beliefs, aspirations, countries, continents and so on. It has allowed me to expand the horizons of my knowledge and helped me enlarge the spectrum of my experience to a vast scale. It has taught me about the world’s greatest problems and the potential ways to overcome them. In this book, I have collected my learnings as pearls, gems, and crystals of various sizes, shapes, and colours and tied them together to create a single necklace as a knowledge repository. I have collected these pearls, gems, and crystals from the following learnings:

Empowerment of children – We all have seen people living roofless, homeless, and in insecure accommodations in almost all parts of the world. This situation is not limited to developing countries but also spreads worldwide. The situation becomes even worse when we find young children on the streets, roaming around insecure, hungry, uneducated, with no mission for the present or future, no clarity about why they exist, no clue about what they can expect from the world, no hope for mercy, comfort or support from anyone, no reason to try changing anything, and no purpose of life. On the other hand, we find powerful leaders scared about the future of the world that lags creative brains, where catastrophes are ready to knock at the door, where things are extremely fragile and can fall apart at any time without warnings. In such conditions, don’t we think that the only hope for us is to work together and ensure that our next generation is protected? Don’t we all believe we must work together to empower the children? Are we not convinced that when the youth are protected and empowered, they can bring sustainability to every living being?

Consequences of corruption – Most of us have witnessed authorities accepting and demanding bribes, businesses stealing taxes, leaders betraying citizens, larger countries invading smaller countries, and people ignoring humanity. All this happens so openly, as if conducting and supporting corruption is the only force to keep the world moving. Nobody who contributes to corruption is ready to accept their mistakes. Everyone has clear reasoning on how to transfer the blame to someone else. Can we consider that ruling over hell is success? Can we attain joy in someone’s misery? Is it not sicknesses? Can’t we assess that if we reduce corruption by half, the world will become a completely different place for everyone? Don’t we believe that eliminating corruption can eliminate every single problem we are experiencing worldwide?

Effective decision making – To decide right or wrong is not easy and sometimes not even possible. Truth depicts people’s perception of a subject or situation but does not confirm any absolute fact. When we convey our perspective without moulding, twisting, or manipulating it, we speak the truth. However, by any means, our truth doesn’t guarantee the correctness and completeness of the information. Hence while working on a complex situation, it’s important that we also take into consideration the unspoken elements with the same intensity. It helps us uncover the unknowns and find the missing parts of the puzzle that are not yet recognised as an element of the truth. The missing parts of the puzzle often help us in effective decision-making. Several times to make the right decision, we must negotiate with our beliefs. Such negotiations take time. It’s an undervalued skill. If we don’t do that, we will bring anti-truth to the world, which is worse than wrong. Can we make appropriate decisions by avoiding, ignoring, or stopping other people’s voices and opinions? Will we not compromise creativity and innovation without a wider range of experiences, skills, and viewpoints? Is it not extremely risky that we stay in a comfortable illusion of the world we are currently known, to remain in ignorance and avoid facing difficult realities?

Never-ending evolution – People generally give up on important things too quickly as they are difficult to do. Then they satisfy themselves by doing relatively lesser complex things and fooling others, including themselves. The ones who keep evolving with a growth mindset maintain their relevance and pursue rightful destiny against the continuously changing demands of the world. While moving forward, we must not forget about the past. If we do that, it will repeat itself and invent new ways to achieve its objectives. Are we sure that we want history to repeat itself? Have we not learned enough from the past genocides resulting in the mass killing of people based on ethnicity, religion, or nationality? Have we not learned enough from the past practices of slavery resulting in immense suffering and injustice for millions? Have we not learned from the historical wars causing the suffering and death of an uncountable amount of people? Have we not learned from the past famines causing extreme hunger and malnutrition and pandemics causing outbreaks of infectious diseases? Have we not learned from the unwanted conflicts and terrorism based on ethnicity, religion, political or ideological differences?

Freedom for everyone – History has taught us the consequences of compromising someone’s freedom can bring massive implications to the overall growth and sustainability of the world. We all have read and heard about countries getting invaded, colonisation, world wars, nuclear attacks, dictatorships, slavery, etc. We have just witnessed such things happening between Russia and Ukraine and its financial implications over the entire world. Don’t we know that freedom is a birth right for every individual on the planet? We all understand that certain regulations are essential to maintain a true state of freedom for everyone. But is it too difficult to conclude that freedom for everyone is implicit and a default state of the world?

Importance of evil – Every culture and religion share a common belief that God has created both evil and good to maintain the balance in the world. Evil enables us to realise the necessity and existence of good. We often look at the evil in others, but should we not try to search for the evil inside ourselves as well? If we want to earn the respect of others, it all starts with respecting ourselves. How can we respect ourselves if we are harmless? Unless we find the monster inside us and learn how to control it, there is absolutely zero possibility that we can become useful to anyone, including ourselves. The strength we develop in our monstrous being is the best guarantee for peace because without realising our monster, there is no possibility that we can bring it under control. The Bible tells us that when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge, they were able to gather negative and destructive concepts such as shame and evil. When we find our evil, and if it starts to scare us, we do everything possible to control it. One example of evil is anger. If you learn how to control your anger, it reflects in your words, acts, and opinions. Then you can utilise this self-control as one of your superpowers to protect yourself and those you care about. Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung once said, No tree can grow to heaven until its roots reach hell.

Process of problem-solving – Before solving a problem, it’s essential to identify it. A problem exists only when it negatively impacts something or someone. Hence once the problem has been identified, the next step is to assess its impact to understand its severity. After that, it’s essential to determine the root cause of the problem, as it helps find effective solutions in the later stages. Additionally, it’s crucial to identify the desired outcomes of the future state once the problem has been solved. It helps to establish a clear direction, also known as the north star, towards the most optimal solution with the highest potential outcomes. What will happen if we jump on solutions when a problem is identified? Will this approach help us achieve trust among those we want to help? Will this approach help us to reach the most effective solution? Do we always have to find the most creative and fancy solutions? Complexity doesn’t always signify correctness. Often, the answer that appears obvious is indeed the right one. If we don’t find the answer, should we start identifying someone to blame? The sad truth is that as soon as a few people complain, everyone who isn’t directly involved runs scared and looks for someone to sacrifice.

Curiosity and creativity – When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge, they achieved consciousness. This consciousness enabled humans to become curious. Curious humans started to ask why about everything which seemed unfamiliar. This curiosity forced human beings to go on a never-ending search for the answers to the unknowns. This search has made us all creative. Creativity is the fuel for all innovations humans have made until now or will do in future. Every change, good or bad, starts from curiosity. If curiosity is strong enough, it generates creativity and results in change. It can be a change of a state, knowledge, or perception. Things evolve in the universe all the time. Nothing is static or constant. Hence will we ever be able to find all the answers? Is it even possible to reach the end of curiosity? What if we lose our creativity? How different are we going to be compared to any other living being on the planet?

The need for equality – We all have experienced situations where people have not been treated equally due to various biases. The common bias which results in inequality is prejudgment. It results in forming an opinion or deciding before becoming aware of the relevant facts. Some examples of prejudgment bias are treating people differently based on age, social class, physical attractiveness, cultural preferences, race, or gender. Shouldn’t diversity be taken as a boon and not a curse? Have we yet to experience that diversity largely brings benefits and no drawbacks? Don’t we understand that all forms of discrimination against individuals based on their group identity must be stopped? Can’t we conclude that equality is a compulsory state and not a choice?

Definition of success – People often get driven by titles, authorities, and power; instead of focusing on learning new things, expanding their relevance, and broadening the impact of existence. Most of the time, people relate to power, authority, money, or fame with success. Often people acquire the definition of success by looking at others. Can someone else create a true definition of success for yourself? Is it not you who must assess it based on your interests and needs? Is reaching the top of the hierarchy or earning a lot of wealth the only parameters to measure success? Success demands sacrificing personal time, comfort, immediate desires, and compromising relationships. Hence, are we sure that success drives bravery? Often more protected people spend too much time not saying what they think, they aren’t who they were, and they don’t even know what they think.

My intent from this book is only to bring a small but necessary difference among a large group of people. Hence, as a reader, now you have a copy of this necklace. Now, the power lies in your hands to determine how you will harness this knowledge. It’s your choice whether you utilise it to draw conclusions, make informed decisions, adapt to changes, or synthesise your newfound learning. Your ability to take action and apply what you’ve acquired will ultimately shape your path to the future.

Prashant Mittal

Creative Thinker and Software Architect

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction - Amber hope meets the god of wisdom

Principle 1 - Empower children to save the world

Principle 2 - Corruption is toxic and no guilt is an icing on the cake

Principle 3 - You can be both right and wrong at the same time

Principle 4 - Never stop as everything is always evolving

Principle 5 - Freedom is the best tool in your toolbox

Principle 6 - Good people tame their monsters

Principle 7 - Problem solving is not about hunting someone to sacrifice

Principle 8 - Explore before attempting to concur

Principle 9 - Equality is the mantra towards a successful future

Principle 10 - Do not let others define your success

Conclusion

Appendix

INTRODUCTION

AMBER HOPE MEETS THE GOD OF WISDOM

Introduction

This story is about Amber Hope, a lovely young girl, as clear as snow, as deep as an ocean, as soft as flower petals, as hard as a rock, as pure as gold, as caring as a mother, as brave as a lioness, as smart as a whip, and as bright as sunshine. Amber was an adorable, bold, calm, delightful, enthusiastic, friendly, generous, helpful, intelligent, joyful, kind, loving, magnificent, nice, optimistic, polite, quiet, reliable, smart, talented, unique, versatile, wonderful, young, and zesty girl.

She was going to turn fifteen in just one day. She was excited as her grandfather Michael had promised a special surprise gift for her birthday. All her family members, father Mitch, mother Emma, and younger brother Wills, were equally excited and occupied in preparing Amber’s birthday celebration.

On Amber’s birthday, her father, Mitch, a principal of a school, had taken a full day off to prepare for the birthday and decorate the house. Amber’s mother, Emma, had also got permission to leave early from the hospital where she was working as a nurse to prepare the birthday cake and the meal. Amber and her brother, Wills, had just come back from school. Wills ran towards the playground to meet his friends, and Amber joyfully started to watch her parents working hard for the party.

Papa, I am back home. May I help you with the decorations said Amber merrily to her father, Mitch. Not at all, sunshine, Mitch replied, I will take help from your neighbour uncles if needed. You must go inside and eat something. After that, you also have to get ready for the birthday party. I want my princess to look the best tonight. Amber followed her father’s words and went inside her house to see her mother.

Mom, see who is here? May I help you with cooking or something said Amber excitedly to her mother, Emma. You can certainly help me, honey, happily replied Emma, But not with the cooking. You should wash your hands and eat something first. Your girlfriends will be here anytime as you had planned to get ready for the party together. Meanwhile, I will search for your brother, Wills, and bring him home. Amber washed her hand and went inside the room of his beloved grandfather, Michael, lying in his bed.

Grandpa, it’s my birthday, said Amber joyfully, and you have promised a special surprise gift for me. Don’t tell me if you don’t remember about that. Yes, I certainly remember my sweetheart, said her grandfather, Michael, with a smile, I was waiting for this day since you were born. Come here and sit near to me, hold my hands, and close your eyes. Amber did as her grandfather; Michael had asked her to do.

She felt a strange sensation, something moving from her hands inside her skin towards her head, into her brain. She wanted to open her eyes but couldn’t, and she saw a flash of light inside her closed eyes. She saw an older man with a long grey beard, long grey hair, bright eyes, and an enormous glow over his face. Then she heard her grandfather’s voice, I want to introduce you to the God of Wisdom. From now onwards, he will help you find answers to life. He had done the same to me as well all my life. Call him for the sake of good, but remember he will only show you the directions, and it will be completely up to you to make your way towards the destination. You must keep this a secret and never share it with anyone. My beloved child, my time has come to an end. May your life be filled with boundless happiness and joy.

The smiling face of the God of Wisdom suddenly disappeared, and the flash of light faded away. Amber opened her eyes. Her grandfather, Michael, was lying still on his bed. Tears started to break out from her eyes. She ran outside to call her father, Mitch, and mother, Emma, for help. It was too late, her grandfather, Michael, had already passed away. The birthday party was cancelled. Amber cried all night. It’s the worst day of my life, she cried and decided, I will never celebrate my birthday again.

A few weeks passed, and Amber still had not fully recovered from losing her grandfather, Michael. However, she used to miss him a lot, especially in the evenings, as that was when Amber used to sit with her grandfather each