About Brida

When I brought Paulo Coelho’s “Brida” home with me I was somewhat afraid that I will not understand it. It was not just a haunch but a conclusion drawn based on a previous experience. Sometimes I suspect that I am genetically wired not to make head or tales of such books. :-)

Don’t get me wrong – it’s not that I didn’t understand anything at all. I empathized with Brida’s search for a soulmate, her fear of choosing the wrong man and her frustration as well as confusion along the journey. I must have heard the word “Soulmate” thousands of times but this book opened my eyes to the true meaning of the word.

It’s the ‘Magic” part that I absolutely failed to get. And that came as a surprise because I am far from being a diehard practical person. I totally believe in fairies, angels and other residents of the magical world. :-)

I distinctly remember the time when I had been to the magic show of the famous Indian magician P.C. Sarkar along with my parents and a family friend. For the first few minutes of the show I tried to be a practical “there is no such a thing as magic” girl and tried to figure out the tricks behind all those magic acts. Needless to say I couldn’t find a single one. So I went back to being the “it’s just magic” part of me. When during the intermission dad’s friend asked me if I could figure any of the tricks out I smiled sweetly saying “I think it’s really magic”. :-)

So now, back to Brida. I found it hard to believe that these Tradition of Moon and Tradition of Sun really exist. I didn’t understand the dancing to the music of the world. The “Dark Night” equally stumped me. I can understand seeing the special light in the eyes of your soulmate but that luminous point above the left shoulder was a bit too much for me. Reading this book felt a little like watching “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon”. I could accept the Chinese practicing the martial arts – that happens in the real world. But the Chinese flying to the rooftops was a bit too hard to digest. It was like watching a hodgepodge of real and magical world. This book felt a little like that. Maybe I am doomed to be one of those who go through life refusing to see their Gift. :-( Maybe I will never see the bridge that joins the visible and the invisible world!

Ok, now about the things from the book that I could identify with. As a Hindu, I believe in reincarnations and so it wasn’t difficult to understand Wicca moving through lifetimes towards her destiny of being a teacher. Then there are other things like Brida’s comment that disappointment, defeat and despair are too strange tools if chose by God to show the Mankind the way because these are the very things that dissuade people from forging ahead. Like this incident when Brida wakes up frightened of darkness in the night and her dad calms her down by telling her about the people – ordinary people like milkman and watchmen – who keep watch over darkness. I remember years ago when I used to wake up early in the morning to study I used to be sometimes afraid. But then I would summon up courage thinking about the watchmen guarding the front gate or the few lights that could be seen in adjacent buildings.

I agree with Brida’s dad when he advises her that if she wants to find out about something she should just plunge straight in. I was startled when the Magus tells Brida that “God is in the word” and so you should choose your words very carefully. I remembered my granny telling us kids to wish for only good things because the sages occupying four corners of the house could anytime say “Tathastu” (So be it).

And I smiled when Brida’s mother tells her about experiencing the love of a lifetime in a matter of few hours. :-)

So, what did I feel when I turned the last page? I felt that I might have to think about the possibility that the line between the real world and the magical kingdom might not be a clear one, that the world of magic could have bits of practicality thrown in for good measure and that the daily humdrum life could have magical moments if only I looked for them :-)

Finally, here are some of the lines I liked from the book: (hope I am not violating any copyright)

- Nothing in the world is ever completely wrong. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

- Sometimes, certain of God’s blessings arrive by shattering all the windows.

- At one point, men may have decided to make themselves God’s representatives and subsequently made mistakes but God had nothing to do with that.

- Being human means having doubts and yet still continuing on your path.

- The first road to God is Prayer, the second is Joy.

- Everyone, at least once in each incarnation, possessed the secret of the Universe.

- Accept what life offers you and try to drink from every cup.

- You can only know a good wine if you have first tasted a bad one.

- May your path be of peace in times of peace and of combat in times of combat. Never confuse one with the other.