GO, BRING MICHELLE HOME
I am a massive fan of Michelle Obama. I have blogged about her, a couple
of times, before, while she was the First Lady and lived in the White House. I
have played the videos of her speeches, for our young boys and girls, so often,
in our Public Speaking and Personality Development sessions. And, above all,
her story – from a typical ordinary black girl, who lived in a crammed Chicago
house with her hard-working and barely educated parents – yes, her story from ordinary
to extra-ordinary is truly inspiring. I have always considered her to be a true
icon for ordinary young boys and girls. I have always held her to be a fine
role model for couples, who struggled with issues about their relationships and
marriages, about raising their children and families, about parents, education
and finances, about careers and friendships, and, above all, about ‘Success’
and ‘Happiness’ in life.
Last evening, my
wife and I were at the Crossword bookstore at Kemps Corner. Melvin, my wife’s
brother and his family, who have come on a Christmas vacation from the US, are
schedule to fly back after a couple of days. Rohit, our young nephew, who loves
reading, wanted Trevor Noah’s popular book (a highly recommended read) ‘Born a
Crime’. After picking up the book, my eyes fell on ‘Becoming’, written by
Michelle Obama, recently, after her White House years. I instantly called Melvin
and asked, “Have you and Amrita (his wife) read ‘Becoming’ by Michelle Obama?”
“Oh, is it
available there?” Melvin asked excitedly, “We both wanted to read that book… We
adore Michelle Obama.”
I brought Michelle
home!
Well, my wife and
I both had decided, that we would read a few pages of the book at home, last night,
before handing over the gift to Melvin and Amrita. It’s a hardbound 400-pages
memoir. The style of writing is so amazing and personal, that I could swiftly navigate
through two chapters. My wife did two, too, before we went off to sleep.
In a day or two,
my wife and I shall be buying our own copy of ‘Becoming’. Even though we haven’t
read the full book, we know it ‘is’ a real treasure!
‘Becoming’ is a
very thoughtful title for the book. It befits Michelle’s story. In the very
first chapter, she expresses beautifully her views on that perennial question: ‘What do you want to become in life?”
Michelle, who had
done half a dozen different ‘jobs’ and ‘posts’ in her life before she became
the First Lady, says, that she did not want to ask the same question to her two
daughters, Malia and Sasha. It was a continuous process of self-discovery, a
process of redefining and reinventing oneself, and not a ‘final destination’ to
reach in life. She wanted her two daughters to approach their life accordingly,
keeping an open mind, keeping it fluid and staying fascinated.
You and I, who are
here doing our so-called ‘success and achievements’ things, will never ever be
able to taste the kind of life Michelle Obama had during the last decade or so.
Still, she thinks, that Life is far from over… There is so much to offer to the
world even after such glorious days in the White House… And, that ‘so much’, ironically,
is exactly what you and I are doing here, as ordinary humans…
Life comes a full
circle for all of us… We all come back to where we start!
Life is as simple
and uncomplicated as that!
“Find people who
will make you better,” counsels Michelle Obama, “Choose people who lift you up.”
Go, bring Michelle
home!
https://theberkshireedge.com/book-review-becoming/
GERALD D’CUNHA
Pic.: Crown Publishing Group
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