Road to Wisdom

Professor Dr. Iswari P. Pandey

Prof Dr Ishwari P. Pandey

Brace yourself for a pleasantly enlightening ride as you start reading this wonderful collection of stories by two beautiful souls, for these are not children’s stories in the usual sense of the term. They are for all, irrespective of age, as the stories are distilled from ancient myths and folk tales as much as the needs of modern life in an interconnected world.

As a reader, I was impressed by how easily each story highlights the value of one major virtue to live by, often indicated in the title. The collection begins with Buddha’s teaching on forgiveness (“On Forgiving”), and the lessons keep coming in. As I finished reading the first story, I was amazed at how lucidly the tale made forgiving a matter of reframing life’s vicissitudes as opportunities at self-transformation, where one can easily turn any day into a “new life.”

As intimated above, each title serves as the core message of the story. “On Problems” exhorts us to think calmly and turn our gaze inward in order to find solution to our problems. “On Attachment” tells us that it is often our attachment to inanimate objects that brings us all the worries. “On Thoughtlessness” narrates a boy’s quest for peace of mind through meditation.

What is noteworthy is that these are not dry and metaphysical essays but stories with easily recognizable characters, such as the Buddha, and simple plotlines that deliver the pearls of wisdom, one at a time. For example, by following the struggles and the paths that the boy goes through in “On Thoughtlessness,” readers may feel like getting the exact same lessons as the boy does to deal with their thoughts, without ever leaving their armchair. Similarly, “On Meaning” guides one to find purpose in life and pursue it. As the priest reminds, "No one can change the decisions you make for yourself. No one can change your thoughts. Others can only show you the path. It is up to you to choose to walk the path or not." It's up to each of us, the readers, to find the meaning of our life in our own way. “On Waking Up” uses a simple act of waking up as a metaphor for being mindful of true reality, moment by moment. The final story, “On Death” narrates Buddha’s lesson for a young mother grieving her baby’s death. Reading these stories is to glean important lessons on gratitude, love, mistakes, purpose, death, learning (and learning a lesson), and so on in a manner that is deeply moving.

Most stories have some basis in little or well-known ancient tales, but some have a distinctly modern setting. “On Perseverance” is a case in point. True, its lesson is as time-tested as those of the rest: that envy does not let us claim our own happiness or success and that we can overcome adversity through patience and perseverance; however, it is a story that happens now, here, and everywhere. “On Belief” shows the folly of believers and the complex nature of belief itself. “On Inspiration” shows how a simple gift can inspire one back into active life. “On Life Wasted and Not Wasted” is a humorous tale in which a pedant mocks a simple boatman, literally at the cost of his own life.

The young authors also reveal much about their family life especially in two of the pieces. “On Testing Times” connects the reality of living during the coronavirus global pandemic to traditional family life as narrated by their father in a letter. “On Truth” describes an incident from their father’s childhood to highlight the value of living a guilt-free life by doing the right thing.

One may be forgiven for thinking that the stories could have been written by a sage, not two teenagers, for their preoccupation with topics of eternal value. But they clearly are for their focus and attention to issues of relevance to contemporary readers. These are stories clearly for the young adults and those who are young at heart. They distil age-old wisdom for finding meaning and purpose in modern life. Going through these stories has made me feel calmer, richer, and more purposeful. They may do the same to you. 

Happy reading! 

(Seventeen Petals: The Growing Up Stories was written by Sukriti Sharma, in collaboration with her brother Simon Sharma. This piece of writing is the foreword for the book by Professor Dr. Iswari P. Pandey. Prof. Pandey is the Award-winning author of South Asian in the Mid-South: Migration of Literacies and he currently teaches in California State University.)