Books that change lives – Richard Bach “Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah”

‘Once there lived a village of creatures along the bottom of a great crystal river.

The current of the river swept silently over them all – young and old, rich and poor, good and evil, the current going its own way, knowing only its own crystal self.

Each creature in its own manner clung tightly to the twigs and rocks at the river bottom, for clinging was their way of life, and resisting the current what each had learned from birth.

But one creature said at last, ‘I am tired of clinging. Though I cannot see it with my eyes, I trust that the current knows where it is going. I shall let go, and let it take me where it will. Clinging, I shall die of boredom.’

The other creatures laughed and said, ‘Fool! Let go, and that current you worship will throw you tumbled and smashed across the rocks, and you shall die quicker than boredom!’

But the one heeded them not, and taking a breath did let go, and at once was tumbled and smashed by the current across the rocks.

Yet in time, as the creature refused to cling again, the current lifted him free from the bottom, and he was bruised and hurt no more.

And the creatures downstream, to whom he was a stranger, cried, ‘See a miracle! A creature like ourselves, yet he flies! See the Messiah, come to save us all!’

And the one carried in the current said, ‘I am no more Messiah than you. The river delights to lift us free, if only we dare let go. Our true work is this voyage, this adventure.’

But they cried the more, ‘Saviour!’ all the while clinging to the rocks, and when they looked again he was gone, and they were left alone making legends of a Saviour.’

There are billions of books out there.

 

As there are billions of books, there are also billions of us. But there are some books that change lives. Or open the door. Sometimes we enter the world of the unknown, the story that someone wanted to tell. And we immerse in that story.

Sometimes we already knew, we just needed to hear it from someone else.

Sometimes… we thought we are the only one! And then we read someone else’s story, and we realise we weren’t.

And sometimes, we are ready for a change. And somehow, this book appears in our life. And we know we are on the right path.

Books re magical. Writing is magical. It is the everlasting way we connect with each other. Books were always there. And they will be, no matter what. That’s why I wanted to share my best reads with you.

“Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah” by Richard Bach is full of life lessons. But Bach is bringing those lessons in a very frivolous, light way. And because of that, they sink in. I recommend you take this journey. It will be a strange one, but one you will never forget it. For me, this is one of those books that change lives.

Here are some of my favourite quotes from the book:

 

“I do not exist to impress the world. I exist to live my life in a way that will make me happy. ”

“You are led through your lifetime by the inner learning creature, the playful spiritual being that is your real self. Don’t turn away from possible futures before you’re certain you don’t have anything to learn from them.

‘You’re always free to change your mind and choose a different future, or a different past.”

“You seek problems because you need their gifts.”

“Like attracts like. Just be who you are, calm and clear and bright. Automatically, as we shine who we are, asking ourselves every minute is this what I really want to do, doing it only when we answer yes, automatically that turns away those who have nothing to learn from who we are,and attracts those who do, and from whom we have to learn, as well.”