Something upfront: Apologies for this "moral science" reflection on such a beautiful book—but I’ll leave it here anyway.
It’s my turn to paint the FB feed in red and white.
My social media feeds are filled with posts about the books everyone has read this year, and I felt like leaving a note about one of my reading experiences as well: Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy. This book has been discussed and talked about a lot already, but I couldn’t resist adding my own small voice to the chorus.
To me, the book reads like a dual biography. It intertwines the story of her mother, Mary Roy, and the autobiography of Arundhati’s own journey. The reading experience felt like getting to know Roy in person.
While reading the book, I recalled a conversation with an old friend who owned a firm. We were discussing his office hours—9:00 to 6:30, Monday through Saturday. I was advocating for how unfair those hours were, but he told me: "See, life is not fair. When I started working, I didn't have it fair either. We cannot make it perfect for anyone; they have to go through these things." I don’t remember my response; I probably lost the debate then.
But, I believe that a true leader is someone who has endured unfairness and uses that experience to make things easier for those who follow. They understand the difficulty because they lived it. Not many can do this, but Arundhati Roy is a solid example.
Despite a deeply difficult childhood, she has done everything possible to provide a better path for the wards in her care. Life has been undeniably unfair to her, yet she has spent her life fighting for justice.
Reading Roy's book is a bit like watching Forrest Gump; you see Indian history unfolding through the lens of a single life. I am in awe of her. My love and respect for her have increased several times over.
The reader’s heart truly breaks toward the end when she echoes her Italian friend: "We are old now (like Carlo)." It is a bit haunting.
(Apologies for this silly note about a beautiful book - but, let it be here)
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