Zorba the Greek is one of the
most fascinating fictional characters that I have ever come across. Though he
is in his 60s, his passion for life is still youthful. He loves music and
dance, wine and women, hard work and quiet sleep. He doesn’t look any different
from the man next door. But he is different. He is enlightened. Religion and
philosophy don’t appeal to him. They are absurd, according to him. What can a
god mean in a world of injustices, cruelty and untold pain? What does the
wisdom of the philosopher amount to in front of the beauty of a lily or the
gurgle of a mountain brook?
Cast your
gods and your wisdom into the sea, Zorba would say, and listen to the rhythm of
the waves if you want to enjoy life. Life is not to be understood by philosophy
and theology. Life is to be enjoyed every moment. Every moment, yes, up to your
grave. Enjoy not only your food and wine but also the work you do. And don’t
try to understand too much of anything.
“You
understand,” he admonishes the narrator of the novel who is actually his boss, “and
that’s why you’ll never have any peace. If you didn’t understand, you’d be
happy!”
This is one of the many lessons of life that eluded me for a long time. Now that I have reached Zorba’s age, I know how right he is. I first read the novel, Zorba the Greek, when I was in my late 20s. I loved it. I admired Zorba. But I could never bring myself to emulate his spirit. I guess that’s how life is: we have to arrive at certain truths the hard way.
Once we arrive
there, we know that even the wisest person is never far from folly. “Every man
has his folly,” as Zorba puts it, “but the greatest folly of all … is not to
have one.” Zorba and Albert Einstein, Michelangelo and you my wise reader, all had/have
irrational desires and incompatible aims. The greatest of geniuses and the holiest
of saints are not free from delusions and aberrations. Even these geniuses and
saints are evolved apes who blunder again and again along the way.
It’s okay to
blunder. If only I had accepted that long ago, my life would have been far less
miserable.
PS. This is
the 3rd part of a series #MissedLessons.
The previous parts are:
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteLife is designed for the 'blunder' - the gaining of experience is what gives it the grit from which to form a pearl... again I say, this is a fine series you have set in flow! YAM xx
Thanks, Yamini. The flow was broken by a cataract surgery I had on Saturday.
DeleteI feel that like your writing is telling me something...
ReplyDelete"Live your life the way you want... Be in the moment... just start livin'."
Yes,live your life the way you HONESTLY want. Discover your truths. Borrowed truths won't bring lasting happiness.
DeleteLoved it! As they say, wisdom comes from experience and experience from mistakes!
ReplyDeleteOne mystery for me is why certain people never learn from their mistakes and experiences.
Delete