Heroes, mentors and friends

There are a few people, in my life (a relatively long one) who would fit the description above. I am not a fan of organized religions but I do like and (try to) follow the teachings of various spiritual entities.

Heroes like Gandhi, Mandela, King needs no explanation.

There are some quotes (paraphrased or otherwise from them. I don’t care if they are historically accurate , but I like them)

Gandhi “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” You could substitute any spiritual entity for Christ.

Mandela: quoted the lines from the poem Invictus , as the source of his courage ,during the 28 years of his apartheid incarceration.
Invictus was written by William Ernest Henley from his hospital bed while being treated for Pott’s disease (Tuberculosis of the Bones)

“I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul. “

King’s famous lines “I have a dream……”

All three professed the rights of people, fought against tyranny but were preachers of nonviolence!

Anthony Bourdain

kerala sadhya
heroes
world is my oyster

He is my hero in the field of dreams, travel and food. My dream job was what he was doing……..

Remembering Tony………… 6/8/18 A piece I wrote In “Daily Kos“
I woke up this morning with the shocking and sad news about the untimely and seemingly meaningless death of Anthony Bourdain , a true American hero and an insanely down to earth human being. If ever there was a person who ridiculed the myth of american exceptionalism and brandished the real truth that we are one and the same ; human beings first and foremost , it was him.To quote President Obama
“ Low plastic stool, cheap but delicious noodles, cold Hanoi beer.” This is how I’ll remember Tony. He taught us about food — but more importantly, about its ability to bring us together. To make us a little less afraid of the unknown. We’ll miss him.”
I am an amatur chef (if one call oneself that)and Tony was my hero. I have to admit that I was envious of his job.It was my dream job. I cook for my colleagues at work, it gives me a lot of joy to do that. To me that has always been unconditional expression of love, affection, comradery and sharing the troubles and hardships of the harsh work environment, dealing with mental illness, depression and yes suicide and death.. Food as a medium brought us all a bit closer.(even when food and drinks are forbidden at work ) Anthony Quipped
“We ask very simple questions: What makes you happy? What do you eat? What do you like to cook? And everywhere in the world we go and ask these very simple questions,” he said, “we tend to get some really astonishing answers.”
Bourdain, was simple, real, empathetic,and genuine. He was not a saint, he, like most of us, had his vices and darkside,that made him not weak but strong. Through his shows, books and larger than life presence using food as his medium,he reached out to millions of people, not just in the USA but all over the world. He brought people from different backgrounds, a bit closer in this hard tribal world of ours. He said
“I’m not afraid to look like an idiot.”
He was larger than life,a humanitarian in his own unpretentious, unapologetic way. He was a liberal to the core. He always spoke for the poor, disenfranchised, oppressed and the abused. He respected people and cultures, something, many of us lack, the courage or the moral compass, to do so.
He was a wizard with words … Obtusely provocative and subtelly compelling…
I, along with other millions all over the world, whose lives were touch by his warmth, will deeply miss him. Sunday nights are not going to be the same ….Adios amigo Tony….