The Swallows of Kabul

Just read this book, it was a short read and beautifully almost poeticly written.

It is one of those books that is going to stay with me for a long time. Did I enjoy it? Will I read it again ... not so sure. Through it one can really gain insight into another life or lives ...

Set in Kabul, you see how prosperity, hope, compassion, literally die under oppression. The idea of forced participation and forced integration into someone else's belief system is so foreign to us in the US as it is the exact opposite of the notion that so joyously gave birth to our country.

What is so interesting to me is the greatness of God that I have seen through this book. Not only, in the blessings I personally have, being a citizen of this great country and being sealed in the covenants of God and having his gospel truths ... but before that ...

I don't think one can truly understand what was at stake in the war in heaven if lucifer had gotten his way ... the harshness of this realization that it probably would have been close to what I saw in this book, is stupefying. Without the growth that comes from making our own good choices and growing from them, we would find no more satisfaction in life than pebbles in a stream, completely content to let the water roll over them or push them here or there at it's will.

Without freedoms, we are condemned to be acted upon which results in the retraction of our good character rather than its splendid growth. Human nature it seems filters this powerless feeling of being acted upon into aggression over those limited choices individuals do have ... human relations, respect and compassion.

So, why is this book still something that I am pondering ... questions still linger closer to home ...

1) do i truly appreciate what i DO have?

2) am i teaching this appreciation to my children?

3) are my children feeling this freedom or do they feel oppression from me? do they have enough room to grow in their delightful free agency in the limited sphere that i give them? or do i need to easy up ... (there is an easy correlation in this book to all walks of life, speaking specifically about children, we have all seen through the eyes of personal experience to children oppressed - verbally, physically, mentally abused, often - that act out in horrific manners as bullies, frustrated by the lack of compassion, free will and hope at home)

4) - MOST IMPORTANTLY - the divine blessing that is service and compassion ... through these two acts, we are able to see and promote the best in our world and well as men in general (meant as a species - although men do need more help than we women, do!! :) )

What an amazing gift this is, this life. So much to learn so much good we can do.