The Burns, The Ashes, and The Raising — The Life Lessons from “The Blue Phoenix”
“A Phoenix is not fragile. It rises up from its own ashes, thought Ashwin. Not everyone is as strong as a Phoenix bird. The bird is resilient and indestructible.” — Chetana Ramesh (Novel: The Blue Phoenix)
Well, these lines from the debut novel of my friend Chethana Ramesh are enough to define the whole book. Initially, as a reader, I had picked this novel to encourage her. But, as JK Rowling quoted, something magical did happen when I read this book. And the novel turned itself into a magician’s hat and uncovered some valuable life lessons to learn.
In this book, the main character is Neelima aka Neela / Neel. She reflects on all the girls who hear various societal comments and have accepted their flaws. Supporting characters are the subtle reflections of the people like a handsome narcissist, insecure colleagues, concerned parents, and amid all these, a person who loves us. The whole book consists of the incidents that impact all these characters. And through this, some valuable life lessons are conveyed subtly and beautifully.
So, what are those lessons?
1) Acceptance: Neela being a plumpy girl with a wheatish complexion, has no inferiority complex. Instead, we find that she has accepted herself and is confident enough to fix the issues, even at the last minute. Life, as quoted by Kain Ramsay (a life coach and the founder of “Achology”), is led inside out rather than outside in. It means, whatever happens, cannot impact us, but the way we feel about them always does. Neela, like all others, faces body shaming and jealousy from her colleagues. She even gets betrayed by her would-be husband and feels shattered. But instead of feeling depressed for life, she accepts the situation and moves on.
“If you’re brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.” — Paulo Coelho
2) Maturity: According to Lori Deschene, Maturity lies in the choice we make. When we choose to understand while being judged and choose to accept when we are rejected, we tend to become the person we need when we are hurt. Neela, though betrayed, does not have vengeful or suicidal thoughts. Instead, she moves on and concentrates on her future endeavors. As a result, there is a surprise for readers in the epilogue.
“Maturity is learning to gracefully walk away from situations that threaten your peace of mind, self-respect, values, morals, or self-worth.” — Marc & Angel Chernoff
3) Kindness: Doing things for anyone because of who we are, rather than for what they are or what they do in return, is the act of kindness, as quoted by Harold S. Kushner. Neela goes through a lot in her life. But still, she chooses to greet her ex-fiance when confronted and feels sorry for what he goes through later. And when she achieves fame with her act of kindness in one situation, she chooses to maintain a down-to-earth attitude, which is admirable.
“We rise by lifting others.” — Robert Ingersoll
4) Generosity: We tend to wear cosmetics to beautify our faces. But to beautify our lives, it is necessary to be generous. Neela is generous enough to contribute to the welfare of the differently-abled children at an NGO named “Nemmadi — the hope of life”. The contribution will not only be in monetary terms, she volunteers to teach them on Saturdays. She is even kind to the dog that accompanies her on a rainy night on the deserted street, which later saves her from the danger. Isn’t that wonderful?
“A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.” — Steve Maraboli
5) Love: Lastly, it is the unconditional love of Neela towards her life that keeps her going from one phase to another. Having known that one cannot please everyone and not everything you desire can be pursued in life, she accepts what she has and starts working towards betterment. She joins the gymnasium for a healthy lifestyle, works hard, and reaches a better position.
In conclusion, I would like to say that stubborn optimism can not only create stars but can also assemble them into a constellation. Therefore, do read the book for more lessons to be learned and live like Neela to live life to its fullest.