Thoughts You Need from 'When Breath Becomes Air' by Paul Kalanithi

Paul Kalanithi an American neurosurgeon suddenly discovered that he has stage IV metastatic lung cancer, as a doctor dealing with death daily as a part of his job how will he respond being part of him? Death was never closer.. you will dive in a journey of courage, and inspiration from a real story happened and ended with a human being as you could have the same condition in many different shapes everyday in his life.

Source - Falmouth Memorial Library

A Brief Story of the Memory

It’s a story of the life of the American neurosurgeon, his work journey before and after being diagnosed with cancer, detailed with his opinions and thoughts on the meaning of life itself.. as a reflective man having many questions and one deep question- What gives life meaning?

The sufferings he experienced with the people he loved around him, the story included within itself the meaning he found and his tryings along with the support of his wife beside him.

Personal Thoughts You Should Consider

Did you think before about the meaning of existence?

If you are an introvert, quite mindful person you absolutely have experienced at least one time questioning about your life, and certainly you didn’t find the answer right after your answer, Dr.Paul was searching all his life but the answers came very later as if it was a signal to keep working and trying even with uncertainty being the dominant.

Dive in to the Main Idea

Years ago, it had occurred to me that Darwin and Nietzsche agreed on one thing: the defining characteristic of the organism is striving”.

-Dr.Paul kalanithi

At your home sitting with rest or at your boring, exhausting work you will definitely ask: “what’s the meaning?”

And you will always find it impossible to answer.. let me tell you that the answer were never about words and a specific sentence you got and that’s your meaning,

Instead it’s a deep sense if life in your heart you feel it with all your senses drive you to take each step in your journey as if you’ll never fail

It’s as if you would take your life to the extent leaving your doubts and insecurities behind , the desire to act and enjoy exceeding your inner critical side.

Decision Made by a Courage Human

Even if I’m dying, until I actually die, I am still living”.

-Dr.Paul Kalanithi

Dr.Paul knew that his days would not be long..

In this condition every one of us could say:” I’ll spend my last days enjoining them and leave everything including my work..just being in peace”

But what was that to make a man continue what was doing all his life?

The doctor didn’t stop his work he still worked until he was very tired,

In a surprising point he made it clear to us to continue in what we are doing, every creature in this life has a responsibility on him to help.. regardless if it was a simple way or a very hard responsibility.

The Importance of being Surrounded by Whom you Love

Everyone between us will have a bad condition during his life whether it’s related to health or work or even an emotional heartbreak..

As a humans we have deep emotions and disturbed vision between time and another

Being surrounded by the ones that love you and care deeply about you is an essential add to your life, Dr.Paul wife Dr.Lucy kalanithi and his daughter was beside him gives him hope ,love and a warm sensing supported him till his last days.

Afraid of Sufferings? What about Being Courage Enough to Try

After the diagnosis Dr.Paul and his wife decided to have a child a daughter in which he describe this decision in a warm words-

“Don’t you think saying goodbye to your child will make your death more painful?” … “Wouldn’t it be great if it did?” I said. Lucy and I both felt that life wasn’t about avoiding suffering.”

-Dr.Paul and Dr.Lucy Kalanithi

On the impact his daughter make to him-

“When you come to one of the many moments in life where you must give an account of yourself, provide a ledger of what you have been, and done, and meant to the world, do not, I pray, discount that you filled a dying man’s days with a sated joy, a joy unknown to me in all my prior years, a joy that does not hunger for more and more but rests, satisfied.”

Dr.Paul Kalanithi

He wrote her this as if it was a message not to think too much about what she did just remember the love and hope she gave to her father, that’s enough.

Final Thoughts

Don’t waste a lot of your time thinking of what should and what shouldn’t,

Do not be afraid to Put yourself in different situations in life even if it’s hard, tough and uncomfortable..

You will always be in your right place even if you are not sure enough and even so you have the will to leave whenever you want to the point is to give yourself and your life a chance to be meaningful,filled with event’s, tasks ,appointments and a list of many things you love to do

Life isn’t about sitting there and watching, it’s to put yourself there and try to figure out the way that fits you, you will not learn unless you try. 

“The fact of death is unsettling. Yet there is no other way to live.”

-Dr.Paul Kalanithi


Written By Maram Hasan

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