... is a book by Joan Didion. It is about the author's grief when she lost her husband after he had a sudden massive heart attack., It is about her year of magical thinking, wishing that she can bring him back from death ...
I read the first 60 pages at Borders last night (Foyles did not stock it ~ the information guy thought that it was a self-help book?!? I was liked ... hmm, no ...), and I didn't buy it, as its emotion was just too raw, too deep, too painful to be reading passively.
Yet, it got me thinking. Most of us live in a world of magical thinking - I believe most people have a wish sub/consciously that they are working on or hoping for. For some, it may be to become famous beyond all costs, to live for their loved one (we have a patient with end staged multiple sclerosis (long going neurological illness), and basically, he does not move one flicker of muscle or engage with the outside world. Yet, his wife continues to live for him, and she broke down when we explained that he is very unwell, as she feels that if he goes, her life will end too. Very depressing, but at the same time, to love so intensely in one's life may be a good thing), to find peace within oneself, to build peace in another country ...
I have just finished "an artist of the floating world" by Kazuo Ishiguro and its overriding point is that "we have the satisfaction of knowing that whatever we did, we did at the time in best of faith. Of course, we took some bold steps and often did things with much singlemindness; but this is surely preferable to never putting one' s conviction deeply enough, for lack of will or courage. When one holds convictions deeply enough, there surely comes a point when it is despicable to prevaricate further". (The fictionious artist was involved in Japanese imperialism).
With magical thinking, it suggests that the wishes at hands are unachievable, but maybe to believe in something so passionately yet undertake no actions, may be more detrimental ultimately. But hey, today is Halloween Day - a day of magic ...
