"A book that changed your life" - A Bananafish Contest Entry

Well, it's reading in general that changes your life. Hard to pinpoint a single book. Each book can introduce a change but they all stack. And some fall off the stack, perhaps ;)

I would love to make a list of minor or major changes, by the way, but I will stick to what was asked. A single book. Which is not my top choice, neither it had the greatest effect on my life. But it did have some and it did help me in time of need. And I am picking it because It will probably not be among those others will tell us about.

Stranger in a Strange Land

by Robert Heinlein

What it is about?

A speculative fiction about a child who was the sole survivor of a failed mission to Mars and... adopted by Martians. So he comes back to Earth as an Adult to bring a new culture (and a cult, eventually, but that's another matter).

And the main conflict in the book is about views, habits, philosophies. Of us who grew up in this environment and another developed being... oh, wait, that's in the title.

What did I learn?

To completely (or at least quite well) overcome jealousy and selfishness. I do not Own another person's love and it's not mine to keep. Is it wrong for somebody to love somebody else even after loving me? It may hurt but it hurts less when you remember you're not the central piece of the Universe and it is good to have love happen even if you are not the receiver.

Does it help?

Yes, it has helped me. I was ever after been absolutely capable of forgiving being "cheated on" and go on without losing my affection for the "cheater". Of course, most times it means it's over. But that depends. If I am not doing well for the other person, then it's over anyway.

There's a great saying about what you can do to keep somebody's love but that's part of another book and I wouldn't like to cheat you of the pleasure to discover it for yourselves ;) Or perhaps I will. Soon.

Yours,

Manol

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