One Book Sacramento Essay Contest
Adult category 1st place winner:Jamie Miller
Sacramento
As I was standing in line at the library, I noticed my mouth begin to get dry. This always happens whenever I get nervous. I thought carefully about what I would say to him. Would I tell him how inspiring his book had been? Would I tell him what an honor and a privilege it was to meet him? I shook my head in frustration, certain that he had heard those things a million times before.
The line inched forward slowly as I was waiting for my book to be signed by Greg Mortenson, and my thoughts began to wander. Three Cups of Tea was a discovery I made one day in June in Borders, soon after completing my second year of law school.
After I complete every semester of law school, which I would describe as mixture of a prison term (the solitude) and training and competing in an intense athletic event (the competitiveness), while memorizing more legal definitions in two weeks than any human being should ever have to force into his/her brain, I find I need to cleanse my mind.
I typically try to do conduct my "mental cleanse" with a book that helps to ground me, so making the right selection is always essential. Usually, I rely on Paulo Coelho, my favorite author, who never fails me. But on that day, for some reason, I was drawn to Three Cups of Tea. It pulled me in, calling my name. I walked over to it, picked up the book from the bookshelf and read the back cover. This was the book I needed.
Moving my thoughts to the present, I glanced at my friend Anna in the line at the library. "Can you go in front of me?" I asked her, "I am nervous.”
She rolled her eyes at me and stepped ahead. "I guess," she answered. As she moved ahead, I thought about how interesting it was that she was here with me. How my most cynical, critical fiend, Anna, ended up attending both Greg Mortenson talks with me is one of those mysteries of universe that you will never understand but somehow worked out just as it was supposed to.
I had an extra ticket for the speech at the Community Center Theater and on a whim I invited her, even though she hadn't read the book. I thought she might be a downer, and I fully expected her to say something like, "This guy lived out of his car to save money for a school in Pakistan? He should've saved money for a new wardrobe." In all honesty, I really didn't want to go by myself, but I was so moved by his work that I thought that not one bit of negativity or criticism could bring me down.
Anna's reaction to his talk was a real testament to the power of Mortenson's work. As we walked into the theater, we followed the crowd up to the second tier seating, walked to the banister and looked out at the crowd. We had arrived only minutes before Mortenson was set to take stage, and the theater was packed. "Who is this guy?" she asked in disbelief at the number of people. "I told you it was a great book," I responded.
She said to me immediately following the event, "This guy is like the ultimate feminist! He builds schools for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan!" I told her that I had an extra ticket for an event at the library the following day, as the friend I was supposed to go with had backed out at the last minute. "I want to go," she stated with determination, "I am going to go out and get his book tonight."
The library line was moving at a snail's pace, but I had finally concluded that when I met Greg Mortenson, I would simply offer a genuine smile, shake his hand, and tell him my name so he could sign my book. It was an honor to be in his presence, and I would be grateful for that experience alone.
After I finished reading Three Cups of Tea, I was fired up. I felt a sense of urgency to do good, to make a difference, and I wanted everyone to feel the same way. I wanted to share this experience. But - no one got it. I wanted everyone to read this book. These days, the reaction I get when I tell someone they "need" to read a book, is as if I am asking them to commit to a marriage.
In a way, I understand my friends' reactions. I am a little bit like the "little boy that cried wolf” after I read a book. I want everyone to read it. I have read 4 or 5 Coelho books, and I am fairly sure that following my completion of each of these, I approached my friends with the same directive, "Oh my gosh, this is the greatest book ever. You need to read this!"
After my failure to elicit a response from my friends, I decided to adopt a more Gandhi-like approach to the matter - the "Be the change you wish to see in the world" approach. I was thirsting to discuss and act on the power of this book with someone or some group of people who could appreciate it (Funny, as I write this now, I realize that the idea to simply join a book club did not occur to me).
One thing I learned from Three Cups of Tea is that it is always easy to make excuses for not doing things - for not volunteering your time or your money. I'll do more volunteer work when I graduate from school- I would tell myself. I'll be able to help people when I have more money, I would tell myself. Mortenson's example leaves no room for any of these excuses.
So, I upped my volunteer involvement with a local animal shelter to help with fundraising. I asked the special events coordinator what she needed help with, and she told me that what she needed help with was the least desirable job - to ask local restaurants for gift certificates for a silent auction. I had never done anything like this before, but as I often try to do, I think of Mortenson's example and perseverance. I have been working on this project for several months now with some success. Working on this project has been a great gift, as I continue to be truly touched by the generosity of the Sacramento community.
I have also learned that sometimes we are given gifts - whether physical, monetary, material, or in talent that are not always intended for us but are intended to benefit others. Mortenson's gift of listening and honoring cultural differences is an approach that is intended to be shared. Mortenson's experience teaches us that sometimes giving is not always easy. I try now to give financially and of my time even when it "hurts" or it is not so easy or convenient.
Finally, Mortenson's book compelled me to search out others like it, and as I was similarly drawn to Three Cups of Tea, I encountered Banker to the Poor by Muhammad Yunus. Yunus’s inspiration parallels that of Mortenson. Without Three Cups of Tea, I would never have started learning about the microcredit programs discussed in Banker to the Poor, designed to help the destitute in Bangladesh. As a result, I am looking into pursuing further education in development economics and have started participating in the microcredit movement online through non-profit organizations such as Kiva.org.
Finally it was my turn in line with Mortenson. I looked at him and smiled, shook his hand, and handed him my book, open to the page I wanted him to sign. I told him my name and spelled it out for him. As he looked down to write a message in my book, he asked me where I was from.
"Sacramento, but originally from Pennsylvania," I answered nervously.
"Where in Pennsylvania?"
I quickly responded, "Lancaster, where the Amish are from."
"Do you still have family there?"
"Yes, all of them really," I responded, proud of my East Coast roots.
"Can you do me a favor," he asked as he pulled two books from a stack beside him. "Can you send these two books to your local library in Pennsylvania," he asked as he signed both of them.
Dumbstruck, I nodded. Meeting him surpassed all my expectations, and he continued to be an example through his generosity to my hometown library.
Glowing, I took the books, smiled and walked away, searching for the one he had signed for me. I looked at it and smiled. He wrote, "Jamie - When your heart speaks, take notes. - Greg Mortenson"
And I listened.