" The world is full of stories,but the stories are all one."
--- Mitch Albom---
(The Five People You Meet In Heaven)
I've just finished reading the book (The Five People You Meet In Heaven) yesterday. I managed to finish it for just the half of the day, sneaking every free moment I could get from the Clinical Laboratory am currently working in as an intern. I might sound sarcastic, but this book made me cry again just like the other book I've read by Mitch Albom "Tuesdays With Morrie". I cried harder with the first book I've read (e.i. Tuesdays With Morrie), but this book is just as pure as the other one I've mentioned. Its like fantasy and reality met at a certain point at a certain time. Conspiracy is everywhere, but in the end, the story unfolds the deeper truth but a simple destiny and purpose. This book made me cry and smile at the same time. Such a dramatic reality with an inspiring story. Beautiful imagination with such wisdom crafted in between. Simple lines but deep lessons in life.
I just wonder - (Sir Mitch Albom), where did you get such ideas? Were you born genius?
Here are some lines that strucked me as I read from one page to another, until reaching the dot at the end of the book.
I just wonder - (Sir Mitch Albom), where did you get such ideas? Were you born genius?
Here are some lines that strucked me as I read from one page to another, until reaching the dot at the end of the book.
1.) The Blue Man - this man was the first among the five people Eddie met in heaven. He was one of the so called "stars" at the pier, he was one of those side show's casts. He had his share of loneliness in life since he was literally different. He died because of Eddie... but Eddie did not know that,... not until he met him in heaven.
*** Lessons from the Blue Man:
>> Acceptance without denying the past. (The generalization is it.)
>> Blue Man : Where are you?
Eddie : Heaven?
Blue Man : No, this is where you grew up.
>> People often belittled the place where they were born.
>> Heaven can be found in the most unlikely corners.
>> For understanding your life on earth - that's what heaven is for.
>> There are no random acts.
>> That we are all connected... that you can no more separate one life from another than you can separate a breeze from the wind.
>> Fairness - it does not govern life and death. If it did, no good person would ever die young.
>> Death doesn't just take someone, it misses someone else, and in small distance between being taken and being missed, lives are changed.
>> Birth and death are part of a whole.
>> No life is a waste, the only time we waste is the time we spend thinking we are alone.
2.) The Captain - the second one Eddie met in heaven. He was the one who shot Eddie's leg for a BETTER purpose... that is to save Eddie's life. He died for the sake of his promise to Eddie and the rest of the young soldiers during the World War II. The Captain's promise was "No One Will Be Left Out." A hero in almost every aspect and in every right.
*** Lessons from the Captain:
>> Sacrifice (Generalization)
>> Sacrifice, you made one, I made one, we all make them. But you were angry over yours. You kept thinking about what you lost. You didn't get it. Sacrifice is a part of life. It is supposed to be. Its not something to regret. Its something to aspire to.
3.) Ruby - the woman whom the Ruby Pier got its name, was the third person of Eddie. She was the wife of Emile - the very first owner of Ruby Peir. The woman who wished that the Ruby Peir was not built to exist.
*** Lessons from Ruby:
>> Forgiveness (Generalization)
>> A child privately adored his old man (his father). Because sons will adore their fathers through even the worst behavior. It is how they learn devotion. Before he can devote himself to God or a woman, a boy will devote himself to his father even foolishly, even beyond explanation.
>> All parents damage their children.
>> Damage done... It's fixed.
>> Holding anger is a poison. It eats you from inside. We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us, but hatred is a curved blade and the harm we do, we do to ourselves.
>> No one is born with anger.
>> Parents rarely let go of their children, so children let go of them.
>> Some people die because of loyalty.
>> Which was worse when left unexplained : A life? or a death?
4.) Marguerite - Eddie's most special person, his wife, his only love. He had been waiting for so long for this moment, to finally see, hear, smell, and touch Marguerite once again, even in death's cold wave... it will certainly be true heaven for him.
*** Lessons from Marguerite:
>> Lost love is still love... life has to end... love doesn't. (Generalization)
>> Lost love is still love. It just takes a different form, that's all. You can't see their smile or bring them food or tousle their hair or move them around a dance floor. But when these senses weakens, another heightens. MEMORY... Memory becomes your partner. You nurture it, hold it, dance with it.
5.) The Little Filipina Girl - the one who was burned because of Eddie's fire during their escape from the enemies' camp somewhere in the Philippines. She was the shadow Eddie was talking about in the midst of his battle with his own fire. He tried to save her, but something happened... and that has something to do with the Captain (his second person).
*** Lessons from the Little Girl:
>> Everything has a purpose (Generalization)
>> Bloom wherever you were planted.
>> Is where you were supposed to be.
*** Lessons from the Blue Man:
>> Acceptance without denying the past. (The generalization is it.)
>> Blue Man : Where are you?
Eddie : Heaven?
Blue Man : No, this is where you grew up.
>> People often belittled the place where they were born.
>> Heaven can be found in the most unlikely corners.
>> For understanding your life on earth - that's what heaven is for.
>> There are no random acts.
>> That we are all connected... that you can no more separate one life from another than you can separate a breeze from the wind.
>> Fairness - it does not govern life and death. If it did, no good person would ever die young.
>> Death doesn't just take someone, it misses someone else, and in small distance between being taken and being missed, lives are changed.
>> Birth and death are part of a whole.
>> No life is a waste, the only time we waste is the time we spend thinking we are alone.
2.) The Captain - the second one Eddie met in heaven. He was the one who shot Eddie's leg for a BETTER purpose... that is to save Eddie's life. He died for the sake of his promise to Eddie and the rest of the young soldiers during the World War II. The Captain's promise was "No One Will Be Left Out." A hero in almost every aspect and in every right.
*** Lessons from the Captain:
>> Sacrifice (Generalization)
>> Sacrifice, you made one, I made one, we all make them. But you were angry over yours. You kept thinking about what you lost. You didn't get it. Sacrifice is a part of life. It is supposed to be. Its not something to regret. Its something to aspire to.
3.) Ruby - the woman whom the Ruby Pier got its name, was the third person of Eddie. She was the wife of Emile - the very first owner of Ruby Peir. The woman who wished that the Ruby Peir was not built to exist.
*** Lessons from Ruby:
>> Forgiveness (Generalization)
>> A child privately adored his old man (his father). Because sons will adore their fathers through even the worst behavior. It is how they learn devotion. Before he can devote himself to God or a woman, a boy will devote himself to his father even foolishly, even beyond explanation.
>> All parents damage their children.
>> Damage done... It's fixed.
>> Holding anger is a poison. It eats you from inside. We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us, but hatred is a curved blade and the harm we do, we do to ourselves.
>> No one is born with anger.
>> Parents rarely let go of their children, so children let go of them.
>> Some people die because of loyalty.
>> Which was worse when left unexplained : A life? or a death?
4.) Marguerite - Eddie's most special person, his wife, his only love. He had been waiting for so long for this moment, to finally see, hear, smell, and touch Marguerite once again, even in death's cold wave... it will certainly be true heaven for him.
*** Lessons from Marguerite:
>> Lost love is still love... life has to end... love doesn't. (Generalization)
>> Lost love is still love. It just takes a different form, that's all. You can't see their smile or bring them food or tousle their hair or move them around a dance floor. But when these senses weakens, another heightens. MEMORY... Memory becomes your partner. You nurture it, hold it, dance with it.
5.) The Little Filipina Girl - the one who was burned because of Eddie's fire during their escape from the enemies' camp somewhere in the Philippines. She was the shadow Eddie was talking about in the midst of his battle with his own fire. He tried to save her, but something happened... and that has something to do with the Captain (his second person).
*** Lessons from the Little Girl:
>> Everything has a purpose (Generalization)
>> Bloom wherever you were planted.
>> Is where you were supposed to be.
EPILOUGE:
Five people waiting, in five chosen memories, for a little girl (one who was saved by Eddie... at the very beginning of the end of the story of Eddie's life) to grow, to love, and to age, and to die, and to finally have her questions answered - why she lived and what she lived for.
*** Somewhere in heaven a little secret is yet to unfold.
Now am thinking who will be the five people I will meet in heaven?
When everything is done, where in my memory will I choose to be my spot of heaven?
Can I choose the person I will talk to?
... hmmm! just asking?
Five people waiting, in five chosen memories, for a little girl (one who was saved by Eddie... at the very beginning of the end of the story of Eddie's life) to grow, to love, and to age, and to die, and to finally have her questions answered - why she lived and what she lived for.
*** Somewhere in heaven a little secret is yet to unfold.
Now am thinking who will be the five people I will meet in heaven?
When everything is done, where in my memory will I choose to be my spot of heaven?
Can I choose the person I will talk to?
... hmmm! just asking?