Murakami

I stumbled on Murakami's work by accident. Surfing the web, bored and unamused, I landed myself upon a site depicting 10 books you must read for this decade. And out of the 10, 1 caught my attention. Like a calling from the internet abyss, I was subtly drawn closer to the link...., "Click me.. Click me...." it whispered... sheepishly obedient I did, and in hindsight, I am glad that he did not disappoint.

That was a month ago, and currently, I am digesting a second of his literature. Indeed, Murakami is a great writer. His style of artistic compositions tells literature of cats, jazz bars, relationships, sheeps and life in Japan. And he tells it as it comes to him.... raw, mysterious and at time edgy. My interest in his work is ever growing (the above is his latest, the second book of his I am reading... a story of different sort, rather Murakami's imagination, this inks his reflections when running).

My curiousity in literature has never crossed the borders of business writing. My staple literature diet consists of marketing, business strategies, leadership and other business related writings. Ofcourse there are the occassional lifestlyle articles which seeks to help you understand yourself better for the gazzilion-th time.... or how to scan, disect and analyse your relationships intricately with such precision as relationship surgeon can... just by answering 10 multi choice recycled questions. But I have yet to venture on literature of this nature.....

Admittedly, my interest in Murakami's writing is encouraging. The book above is his latest, and my second book by him. The moment I read the initial pages, I am hooked. Though not his usual writing, this books exclusively invites us to have a partial glimpse of his life and also his passion (besides writing ofcourse). This book depicts his passion to particiate in marathons and triathlons; and more inportantly, his thoughts while running. And it is here I had one of those epiphanic moments..... his foreword reads "Pain is inevitable,..... Suffering is optional". And its this very thought that is left lingering in my mind.... playing over and over like a record repeating itself. Though Murakami puts it into the context of running, I sense a deeper perspective which hints towards a life philosophy. Maybe its unintentional or maybe it is.. but when I read it, it struck accord with my thoughts... and its so true.

Though pain is not an option for all of us.. suffering is inflicted and in most cases relates to our unwillingness of letting go. How coincidential that what I have been expressing and writing about revolves around that.

Indeed, Murakami's books are a good read. Cannot wait to finish this one and start another.

The end was only the begining...

Round and round it goes,
when will it stop nobody knows,
The begining? The end?
Unable to fend...
I am spiralling into an abyss of enternal void....

Decisions made was unmade;
Firm ground buckles in;
Like water to paper bridges,
I am tumbling again from a once sure footing,

Where do I even begin to verbally illustrate
the visual perspectives and emotional sensations
which interprets my reality.
When will this end?

Unable to comprehend?
That is but a glimpse of the incomprehensible fickleness endured.

An end was made for the wrong reason;
For it was persued with the wrong intent.
And that is why the inevitable acceptance had to be reversed.
And that was the crux of my revalation
as divine interventions circumvented my conciousness.

I am back at where I began...
pondering if there is ever an end to this...
I have yet an answer but
My fleeting thought is this....

"Every end leads to a begining, and
Every begining there is an end.....
my question is which is which and
when will it end...."