Promises of Life

About the Book What is life? This simple as well as profound question is critically and creatively reflected in this book under the following sections: Life is beautiful           : Enjoy it Life is fragile              : Preserve it Life is relational         : Share it Life is paradoxical     : Encounter it Life is unexplainable : Contemplate it Life is                        : Be More than fifty relevant imageries and symbols (e.g., life as voyage, promise, music, etc.), taken from daily life are contextually reflected upon. Provocative questions are raised and insightful solutions are sought. Carefully chosen quotations from renowned and respected thinkers enlighten the imageries and add to the value of the book. The aim of these reflections is to stress the beauty and grandeur of life. Without denying the vulnerability and evil in life an attempt is made to focus on the contemplative, dialogical and beautiful dimensions of life. Finally the invitation is given to enhance life in its entirety. So the book is a small attempt to be more aware of the preciousness of our lives and an invitation to live it in its entirety and to abandon unconditionally to the flow of life. Contents I. Life is Beautiful Enjoy It Life as Music Life as a Work of Art Life as Humour Life as Search for Meaning Life as Pleasure Life as Ecstasy Life as the Place of a Thousand Possibilities Life as Security Life as Sexuality. Life as Eating Life as Dance Life as Play Life as a Play of Words Life as an Exclamation Life as Colour Life as Blessing 2. Life is Fragile: Preserve It Life as a Coffee Break Life as the Margin Life as Boredom. Life as a Black Hole. Life as a Train Journey Life as Parachute Jumping. Life as a Lunatic Asylum Life as Failure Life as Rumour Life as Loss Life as Hunger 3. Life is Relational: Share It Life as Search Life.as a Search for the Grail Life as a Voyage Life as Discovery Life as Relationship Life as Will to Power Life as a Story Life as Thought Life as an Encounter Life as Dialogue Life as Look 4. Life is Paradoxical: Encounter It Life as Ambivalent Life as Tight-rope Walking Life as Finite in the Infinite Life as Dichotomised Life as Parabolic Life as a Clown in the Circus Life as Tensional Life as a Labyrinth Life as Light in Darkness Life as a Lie Life as Paradoxical Life as Forgetfulness 5. Life is Unexplainable: Contemplate It Life as One-Time Experiment Life as a Seed Life as a Question Life as Doubt Life as a Dream Life as a Lottery Life as Banality Life as Mystery Life as Problem Life as After Life as Non-life Life as Death Life as Beyond Human Life as a Day 6. Life Is: Be Life as Being on the Way Life as Longing Life as Change Life as Furthering Life Life as Truth Life as Revelation Life as Wholeness Life as Utopia Life as an Open Book Life as Irrelevant Life as a Promise Life as Life Bibliography Index of main topics