Me Ki Gai | Atul Khekade | Book Review
Ikigai — a beautiful word with an even more beautiful meaning. It literally means ‘value of being alive.’ And this Japanese term resonates with this generation the most for a simple reason. We are confused! We are clueless. We do not know what our passion is. We do not know how to carve an unconventional path. And even if we’re aware of the many options available to us, we are hesitant. We are reluctant to follow the path unbeaten: sad old story but a true one and pretty much contextual.
Me Ki Gai by Atul Khekade is a thought-provoking read on the essential concept of Ikigai. Through a fictional account, the book aims to educate its readers on Ikigai. It is a bundle of self-help and fiction that does deliver what it promises. The story is set around Parth, who is perplexed about what he wants from his life. A fresh graduate out of college who finds himself working in the tech industry is soon fed up with his work. He is fired and decides to commit suicide. But then appears Prabhudas and subsequently, Krisha, to change his life. And change does happen to him in the most rewarding manner directing him toward leading a fulfilling life.
The story delivers the quintessential message — find your passion, locate how you can connect it to a profession, get better at it, and then strive towards other people’s problems. Isn’t it oh-so-exciting? Of course, it is thrilling but know this; an unconventional path comes with its own set of struggles. You have to be patient, resilient, and curious. You should aim to learn and improve, continuously. You should have it in you to stand against norms and stay firm on the ‘road not taken’ that you choose to walk on!
The author did a good job of weaving Ikigai with Parth’s story. For someone who might find self-help difficult to digest, this story should serve the purpose. I am certain that many youngsters out there would relate to Parth’s struggle and his journey of discovering his Ikigai. Today, when we’ve truckloads of opportunities, it is on us to identify the right one and work harder than ever. Nothing comes easy in life, but happiness does find its way to us; only if we try to see it. If we would be open to accepting challenges, we’ll get through them. If we do what we earnestly love, we’re bound to succeed.
Although the book presents information simplistically, the plot didn’t impress me much. I found the fiction part of the story a bit too cheesy and unrealistic. On top of that, there were visible editing errors that didn’t go well with me. Keeping apart these loopholes, it is a book meant for our puzzled young generation. And trust me, anybody and everybody can read this. They’re sure to get some value out of it.
I could personally connect with Parth as I found myself not accepting my job offer from a tech giant right after my graduation. I knew I was not cut out for that job, and I chose to go my way. It’s been a year, and I am growing every day, bubbling with new ideas and working for my goals. I have my own ideas to scale up my work, I have plans for higher education, and in due course of time, to achieve more things. Ask me if it’s easy, and I’d say no. Ask me if I’m happy, and you’ll see me smiling ear to ear :)