Which God Will Listen

"...Oh, but if they saw, my darling. Even half of what you have. If only they saw. They would say kinder things, surely...”

I'm not a fan of sad or gloomy stories, not because I hate them, but 'cause I could easily cry myself out. For a constant looking-happy people, I'm a total 'seblak basah'. LAYU. Besides, crying leads to gloomy mood and of course mild dehydration. Those things make me hungry.

But an editor/my mood-swinger/the maze gave me a poetry book titled SEA PRAYER by Khaled Hosseini, as his gift to his comeback to Indonesia after spent ten months in United States. He loved poems and many gloomy stories. I like poems a bit, but I prefer my usual routine first (Gosh, I miss reading fantasy novels). So, when I asked him why he gave this book to me, he simply said that this book will suit me. Okay, it turns out to be true. I felt gloomy after finishing this sad book and this keep me thinking wider, what human had done to their own races.

Khaled Hosseini is a well-known author who had published many inspiring books. KITE RUNNER, THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, etc. I haven't read them yet. But some of my friends and colleagues did, and they showed great reviews of Hosseini's works.

Remember the death of Alan Kurdi? A three-year old boy from Syria who drowned in Mediterranian Sea due to seek shelter with more than 4000 other people from the conflicted country (if you googling the pic, sure it will bring pain and guilt in your feeling). The 2015's incident slapped human race, showed the unbearable truth about multiple wars happen around the globe. An innocent child died. But yet we still at wars. Addicted to them, loving them, constantly provoking them, among all of things that we aim to gain for wealth and peace.

SEA PRAYER consists of simple deep words about a father's hope to protect his child. During the conflict, before the conflict, and his expectation within their journey in the sea to seek helps. Small numbers of words, no gigantic setting, simply said, but this father's story stabbed the heart and brain simultaneously. Make me think, why humans did all of these cruelty doings.

Once upon a time in heaven, angels had asked God, why He created humans. Why He created such arrogant organisms that tend to fight each other over many things. Food, Power, Religions, Races, Skin Colors, and any other thinkable matters. Why?

Father loves his kids beyond our knowings. But father still a vulnerable human. How could he protect his kids if his world shattered into pieces right before his eyes? Among all religious beliefs, which God will listen his constant tirelessly praying to simply see his child to have happy and healthy life?

Hosseini shows the cruel fact beyond his words. What happen in this rotten human race today, as if we didn't learn any from our overload histories of wars. Conflict doesn't choose its victims. And yet, the safer ones stay in total silence.

Ramadhan is here. A holy lovable month who shows kindness and mercy. But yet, humans still stay at the 'war-zone' mode. You're different, you have to obey me, let's fight. Peace where? Peace who? If Ramadhan is a living creature, now it's in late stage of infection that spread by germs from human doings. And if the world is a enormous living organism, it's constantly suffered from pain and fever coming from chronic viral infection, called human race.

So, recommended?

Yes. The illustrations inside are painfully beautiful. The words cut deep. Mini-armaggeddons are happening now around the world. Where are we? Happily arguing about minors, yet others hoping to stay alive day by day. This book shows the truth with simple words. And it helps to gain your conscience back.

Thanks for the book, yes this suits me, and yes I felt gloomy after reading this.

So, which God will listen? 

Will we try to listen?

“I said to you, "Hold my hand. Nothing bad will happen."
These are only words. A father's tricks, It slays your father,
your faith in him.
Because all I can think tonight is how deep the sea, and how vast, how indifferent.
How powerless I am to protect you from it.

All I can do is pray.”

- Khaled Hosseini -