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For you, a thousand times over...
December 08, 2006
I finished reading the kite runner two nights ago, and it rocked me. I had heard about the book for a long time now, and it has been suggested to me that I read it many times. Usually when this happens I pick up the book out of obligation and can’t get past 50 pages. With Kite Runner it was different. Though I was reading it because I was told to, it swept me away really quickly.
Though fictional, Kite runner did for me something that needs to happen every now and then, it put a face on injustice. As I just said, it is fictional, but everything that happened in that story happens every day. It reminded me that when I hear baffling statistics about refugees, hunger, war, and orphans that there are complex stories behind each of those people. There are families, loyalties, regrets, beauties and more behind each of those numbers that represent a person.
It also reminded me that there is so much complexity behind everyone that I come in contact with. When I watch a newscast where something awful has happened — war, natural disasters and the like, and I see someone in the background of the shot I have to remember that they have a story. 
That the little boys in this photo might have a story as beautiful, heartbreaking, and complex as Amir and Hassan from Kite Runner, or that the man walking with a friend might be walking into a situation as daring and scary as when Amir walked into the Taliban’s sunglasses clad man’s house.
I kept thinking these thoughts about the characters while reading. A simple scene where they were on the side of the road, or driving, or on an airplane would send my mind racing about how no one around them knew the depth behind them. They had no clue all that went into the little boy on the plane whom they sat in front of, or the busted up man waiting for a taxi. I realized that I see these people everyday. I walk by someone and to me they are just a face, but there is always more.
This was a really good reminder for me as well as the book being a heart wrenching tale that made me ball my eyes out numerous times. Two days later I still find myself repeating the line in my head “for you, a thousand times over”.
Anyway…I guess you’ll just have to read the book to see why.
Posted by filetaj on December 8, 2006 11:50 AM
Comments
I'm so anxious now to read "the Kite Runner" especially now after I read how it touched you. I just finished reading a book called “I dared to call Him Father”. It is a fascinating true story about a prominent Muslim woman in Pakistan and her encounter with God.
A very touching part in her book was when she decided to celebrate Christmas and invite some people into her house and after she made the gust list, she put it in her bible for safekeeping until morning to start inviting people. When she opened her bible in the morning to get the list her eyes fell on these words:
“When you give a luncheon or a dinner party, don't invite your friends or your brothers or relations or wealthy neighbors, for the chances are they will invite you back, and you will be fully repaid. No, when you give a party, invite the poor, the lame, the crippled and the blind. That way lies real happiness for you. They have no means of repaying you, but you will be repaid when good men are rewarded-at the resurrection.
Luke 14:12
And this is what she wrote:
"Lord, is that Your word for me?" I wondered, holding the Bible in one hand and the guest list in the other. Sure enough, most of my relatives and neighbors and friends were well-to-do. I had told myself this was an opportunity to get Muslim and Christian together, but actually: saw that pride had been showing through. I wanted to demonstrate to my family that I still had friends among the wealthy class.
I crumpled up the list. Instead, I did exactly what the Bible said. I made up a list of widows, orphans, unemployed and poor people of the village and then invited all of them to attend Christmas dinner. I gave some of the invitations myself and others I passed along through my own staff. News like this travels fast and soon my servants were bringing back word that the whole village was planning to come. ..
And then she goes on to describe the gifts they prepared of warm clothes for the men and boys, brightly colored garments for the young girls, rolls of red, pink and purple cloth for the women, sweaters and shoes for the children...
Well, my next book to read is going to be the kite runner!
Keep up the good work.
Posted by: Sam on December 8, 2006 01:59 PM
sam,
thanks for the thoughts. thats a really cool story that makes me want to read that book...maybe we can trade? I don't recall hearing that passage from Luke before. I'm sure I have heard it, but not really heard it. thank you.
Posted by: jason on December 8, 2006 02:06 PM