One of the recent books of Paolo Coelho which I was able to find 4 years after its 1st printing from an online shop, reminded me of his book “Manual of Warrior of Light”. The latter was once suggested by a classmate and friend of mine Dr. Alida Grace Macaspac, as I remember her telling me “Mahdi this book suits you!”, which honestly, I found it very interesting and much useful specially back then.
This book too is more of a philosophical aspect of archery, and the way of the bow, applicable to everyone’s life regardless of his/her position, profession, ethnicity and available instruments and means in life. As written in the book;
“Because the way of the bow serves for everything, and my dream was to work with wood. Besides, an archer who follows the way does not need a bow or an arrow or a target”
As written at the end of this book in the A Note About the Author section after Acknowledgments:
He (the Autor) believes that, within ourselves, we have the necessary strength to find our own destiny.
There was once I too was a believer to this manuscript, and in the following years hit by much challenges and difficulties in life, specially in the country I currently reside, I decided to give some percentage to chance and outside influences that are out of our hands.
And with regards to the book, I always wondered how it is that a person (like me) was exposed and learns much from the books but applying them consciously is the hardest thing in life? didn’t I learn enough? Are my knowledge insufficient for a prosperous growing lifestyle? What happened that I gave up? And I could find the answer between the lines of this book:
“Teaching isn’t hard. I could do that in less than an hour, while we are walking back to the village. The difficult thing is to practice it every day, until you achieve the necessary precision.”
And admittingly, the latter instruction is way harder. And this book which could be read in a bus ride and within a day, could be another testimony to that.
One important lesson the book reminds us is the selection of people whom we spend most of the time with, or the groups we decide to join. It is imperative to keep in mind, that as a human being, we are much influenced by our peers and people who surrounds us, therefore the best thing we can do is to be so delicate in choosing whom we mingle with and spend much of our time with. The good thing is, for that we have a choice and the responsibility of that is upon us. So, choose wisely.
“Stay away from those who affirm truths, who criticize those who do not think like them, people who have never once taken a step unless they were sure they would be respected for doing so, and who prefer certainties to doubts……
“….. Join with all those who experiment, take risks, fall, get hurt and then take more risks. Join with those who sing, tell stories, take pleasure in life, and have joy in their eyes, because joy is contagious and can prevent others from becoming paralyzed by depression, loneliness, and difficulties….”