By Wafa AwlaÂ
GOMBAK, 24 March 2015: Imagine in an every persons heart there is a voice that resonates and screams to be heard, appeals to be understood, but it could not find a way to let it out. So, it remains secret and buried in the eyes shining with hope. However, it is very lucky for those who can express it through the most delicate way which is writing.
In others words, writing a story or poetry is actually writing the language of heart. Thus, reading poetry and story writing are actually reading someones heart.
A usual calm night turned into something meaningful when a group of future teachers advocated a discussion about a book written by Haruki Murakami. They tried to listen to the voice of the heart of Murakami through his book entitled The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle presented by Megat Hanis on Sembang Santai programme recently.
Writing several international best seller novels, Murakami, born in Japan has his own uniqueness in his writing which qualified him winning several awards in literature such as World Fantasy Award, and Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award.
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is one of the best and most famous of Murakami, thus placing him as the world’s best living novelists. This novel is driven by the main character, Toru Okada who is jobless and his cat had disappeared. In the course of looking for the cat, Toru Okada inadvertently is looking for himself.
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, according to Megat Hanis, actually tells the story of a journey to find ourselves.
œThis story brings us into the more important question about how to become our true self. Â The words ˜Be Yourself is not like we deny all criticism of others to us and hope people will accept who we are. ˜Be Yourself is actually being a potential of yourself. If we have talents and potentials towards something then we must strive to achieve it.
œQuestions about reality and dreams were also mentioned in this story. To ensure that situation is not a dream, we will pinch ourselves. That little pain will make us aware whether we are dreaming or not. Same goes to life, these pains and difficulties we faced are signs we are living, he added.
Reading fiction such as The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle gives us the chance to understand life from other’s perspective. Delving into other people’s thought and feeling is an exciting thing to do. But, what is most interesting, reading is the best and easier way to listen to the inner voice and the language of others heart.
Programme manager of Sembang Santai, Mohd Fahmi Ahmad Kashfi said: œCasual and leisure discussion like this will be held twice a month at the cafeteria of Kuliyyah of Education. The discussion would be focused more on education and hope more people will join us especially among the prospective teachers. ***
Photo credited to Ajwad Amal