What happens after death has always been a fascinating concept. While religion has come up with plenty of answers for this, they still don’t satiate man’s curiosity. In movies and books people keep cooking up their own imaginary versions. While some are grim, most of them are whimsical and endearing.
It was delightful coincidence that both my first read and first watch of 2021 were based on death and what happens after death. And both of them are of the whimsical, self-reflecting kind.
The Midnight Library written by Matt Haig is my first fiction book in a really long time. And once you start reading, you simply can’t put it down till the very end.
The knot is extremely simple. You can almost predict the ending too. But the book is engaging because of the journey it takes. It’s definitely not a book where you will lose track of the characters or sub-plots. It’s simple, straightforward and very relatable.
The protagonist Nora Seed has officially hit rock bottom. Desperate to put an end to all her suffering, she tries to take her life. But instead of dying, she lands up at the Midnight Library. The library lies between life and death. In the thousands of books on the shelves are thousands of possible lives she could have lived. Like Goldilocks, Nora tries out life after life, trying to find the perfect life where she is happy.
In Soul, the tables are kind of reserved, Chris Gardener has the best day of his life. He lands the job of his dreams. A musical gig with his favourite singer. Sadly, it also happens to be his last day on earth. People who have near-death experiences often claim about going into the light. A bright shining ball of light that draws them in. After dying in a freak accident, Chris finds himself moving towards the big glorious light on an escalator (yes! That’s right). That is when he realises how much he wants to go back and live his life. But getting back to earth, surely wasn’t as easy as picking a book in a library. Watch the movie to know the rest!
Both Soul and The Midnight Library touch upon some common themes. Man’s search for purpose in his life has pretty much been the reason for every scientific and technological innovation we enjoy today. But while searching for the big truth, one can often lose track of the present. We strongly believe that our achievements are the reason for our existence. When in fact, achieving something is always less happier than imagining it.
The purpose of your life is not to keep waiting around for the big moments. If you keep doing so, soon you will be left only with regrets. You purpose of life is not even to achieve. Your purpose of life is to savour the life in between your successes or failures.
The big moments never happen when you keep your eyes peeled for success. They happen on an ordinary day, when you got up for the 450th time to work on your passion, not because somebody asked you to, not even because you would be paid for it, but because you just love doing it. If you ever find something that even comes close to that, never let that go!
Sorry for the impromptu sermon! If you are looking for a book or movie recommendation, read The Midnight Library and watch Soul. I enjoyed both of them thoroughly. Super glad that 2021’s first blog post is on these beautiful, thought-provoking pieces of work!
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