I read 'Tuesdays with Morrie' last night, and bawled my eyes out over the short book.
I spent a good two hours thinking about what I'd read after that, resulting in fatigue this morning from lack of sleep.

My eyes are killing me.

Moral of the story? Don't read such thought-provoking books before bedtime.

But that aside, this is the best book I've read in a long time.

The protagonist in the book, well more a teacher than a protagonist really, is Morrie Schwartz. He is an aged sociology professor who suffers a debilitating neuro disease which starts killing his muscles, leg up.

This book tracks the lessons of life which he imparts to an ex-student, the author of this book. The lovely observations which he brings to light is what made me cry really. For someone who was in his position to have pointed out all these painfully simple observations in our everyday lives, is poignant and strikes a resounding chord in my heart.

It made me think about the choices i've made, the choices i'm making and what i want to do with my life. The simple things in life which we take for granted, like breathing in and out... It's such a precious activity and yet we hardly notice it.

We don't notice that the clouds in the sky today are sparse.

We don't notice the flock of bright yellow birds flying outside our windows in the evenings.

We don't notice how the wind softly rustles the leaves of the tree outside our windows.

We don't notice the ease with which we inhale..... exhale.

The soft, imperceptible breeze brushes against me like a gentle lover's breath on my skin. Inhale.... Exhale.

I close my eyes as I concentrate on the simple activity which is so essential to our existence, yet so often overseen.

I breathe in till my chest starts to hurt from the overly-expanded lungs, and I revel in the pain, knowing that the pain is proof that I am still alive and aware.

I inhale..... and exhale.

Everything else fades away, and I am only aware of one thing.

I am alive.

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