I have walked the roads of rome, eaten the pasta and the pizza, spoke some Italian, had discussions on who I am and what is my purpose in life with new friends from Italy.  I have also smelled the walls of the ashram and instead of the gurugeeta I read the chapters of quraan that had the same effects, felt that I had scrubbed the floors and also felt that I had meditated. In Bali, which was the most fun, I  imagined me walking the roads with trees and shrubs on either side and talking to a toothless old medicine man, and cycling to various places with my newly discovered balinese friends. not only that, i have learnt history lessons about New York, Italy, India and Indonesia, also i learnt about the political problems in this country, about how the Italians love football and how they can adapt and are willing to join in other people’s celebrations.

This was my feeling while reading the book, and apart from a page and a half of a certain description of masterbating which was unnecessarily crammed in the book by force, the whole thing was a lifting experience which took me to a different level.  I recreated the feeling of happiness in me and even my prayers have become a nice ritual that I await for its timing, and when I hear a verse of Quraan, or a prayer on youtube my eyes tears as I had started to feel the words instead of what I did before of just listening to it.

Few years ago when I first watched the movie, I wrote a critique about it (http://suadalhalwachi.com/uncategorized/movie-critic/) what was I thinking? I should have never wrote anything until I read the book.  In actual fact after finishing this book I decided that every time I watch a movie that is a book, I will read the book first and then write my review as otherwise I will be either spoiling the movie or the book in people’s minds.  Also I must say here that I always feel obliged to write about a book that I am reading or a movie that I had watched, I feel its a responsibility that I must share with others how I felt while reading the book or watching the movie.  Many a times my life have changed because of a movie, and I feel its a great idea that movies and books were discovered because life is full of fantastic things and we need to see it all. One cannot possibly be in all the places at once, it may take me a life time to visit all the countries and see all the things our world has on offer, so reading books and watching movies make it possible to see and feel every thing that is out there in the shortest possible time.  Remember we all need to work, live, have children, raise children, and do a million and one things. That is why, I am raising my hat to thank those that discovered these ideas of movies and books.

Enjoy reading everyone, the year of reading is about to end.  I had done my share in reading (12 books in total this year, plus, 300 articles, written a 100 blogs, 5 short stories and endless number of emails) I hope you did the same.