Before the storm,
We realise the things we’ll lose,
Not those we have.

Fragility can be vulnerability,
Fragility can be hope.
A hope to break in the storm
And to be a part of it indefinitely.

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The Happiest Man on Earth is a profound and moving memoir that recounts Eddie Jaku’s experiences as a Holocaust survivor and his journey to finding happiness. Jaku, who survived the horrors of Auschwitz and Buchenwald, shares his incredible story of resilience, hope, and the power of positivity.

Jaku reflects on the immense suffering he endured during World War II, but more importantly, he emphasizes the lessons he learned about the value of education, family, and friendship. The book is filled with moments that highlight the strength of the human spirit and the importance of gratitude.

Despite the unimaginable challenges he faced, Jaku chose to live his life with a positive outlook. He believed that happiness is a choice and that by focusing on the good, we can overcome even the darkest of times. His story is a testament to the enduring power of hope and the impact of a positive mindset.

This book is an inspiring read for teenagers, offering valuable life lessons on resilience, compassion, and finding joy in everyday moments. Eddie Jaku’s wisdom and optimism serve as a powerful reminder that even in the face of adversity, we can choose happiness.

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Splashing over my toes came a little white wave
And away it washed the footprints I tried to save.
The tide constantly swept them off
But I went on and on.

Day faded.
Sunlight slipped away.
Once again, everything turned dark and grey.
Suddenly, waves became louder than my thoughts;
The boat my eyes trailed was lost.
I saw every bit sinking to a new low
As if it was the final blow.

My heart almost drowned in an ocean of despair
When in a flash, a glimmer of light appeared, yielding hope beyond compare.
Euphoric, I couldn’t contain my delight 
And gazed up at the sky, where the Pole star shone bright.

Then again I looked back on the boat I’d seen, sailing in sight 
Led by the lighthouse to the path that was right
It’s easy to feel that hope is gone,
To feel lost and alone.
But an awake heart is like a lighthouse.
Helping others to find a safe way home.

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Aadujeevitham, a Malayalam film adapted from the novel Goat Days, portrays the harrowing journey of Najeeb Muhammed, a migrant worker stranded in the Saudi Arabian desert.

Directed by Blessy and led by Prithviraj Sukumaran’s captivating performance, the film resonates with raw emotion and showcases the resilience of the human spirit. Despite its slow pacing and occasional predictability, the cinematography captures the desolate splendour of the desert, enhancing the narrative’s depth.

A. R. Rahman’s music elevates the film to ethereal heights, infusing each scene with captivating beauty. The film delivers a powerful message of hope and redemption through Najeeb’s struggles and triumphs. It stands as a testament to the transformative power of perseverance, leaving a lasting impact on the audience.

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As I open my eyes to the gentle rays streaming into my room, I am excited. The solitude and quiet of the early morning hours allows me to appreciate that I am alive, I have a new day with immense joy and opportunity ahead of me. A wave of peace rushes over me followed by a thought: How could I extrapolate that peaceful feeling to those around me — to my family, my neighbours, my community, my country and my planet? It’s not that difficult to do things a little differently.

Come to think of it, human beings have been able to avoid extinction because we can change. Change is the only constant. Adaptability is what we have in abundance. A sense of hope fills me as I envision a peaceful world, one that is accepting. A world where judgement is left in courtrooms where opinions are not impulsive and latitude for expression is gracefully given. A world which is inclusive, where differences are viewed with wonder and curiosity rather than suspicion and fear. The first step would be to cut out the noise, the verbosity, to communicate with empathy and not ego. To communicate simply without jargon and ambiguity. To communicate, to create, not to destroy.

The duality of our present is a bit perplexing. We have a million words for social media but very few for our friends. It is easier for us to make excuses rather than ask for help. We spend time on the construction of our sentences rather than thinking about the consequences they will have. In a world of emojis and short messages, we have clearly lost sight of the longer story.

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Tomorrow, a day that is waiting for you in the near future after you pass your present one.

Everyone wants their tomorrow to be better than the present, so many of us pray before going to bed at night, whereas the rest just hope before closing their eyes to sleep. Our past, present, future, memories, incidents, worst moments or the best ones are part of our life. And all of these at some point were our ‘tomorrow’ in the past. Many unknown things are waiting for us as ‘tomorrow’ in our future. There is no perfect definition for anything related to life because life itself has no such definition. Neither you nor anyone else can give a perfect definition of life. We can only give or believe those definitions that we have felt ourselves in our lives, because life is different for everyone. Since we don’t know what will happen tomorrow other than to just hope to be better, what we can do, as is always said, is live our present to the fullest. Tomorrow is never in our hands, and it never will be. All we can do is hope and pray for it to be better than today.

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The glory of growth…
The satisfaction of achievement…
The splendour of beauty…

For yesterday is but a dream,
And tomorrow is but a vision.
But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness,
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.

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