"The Life of Pi", said Wooi Min as I tilted the book in my hand towards her. She pronounced the final word of the title as "pea".
"The Life of Pi," I corrected. Pi read as "pie", in reference to the mathematical constant. Later, when I have read the story behind the name of the main character would I realized I was the one needing correction.
It has been a long while since I wanted to lay my hands on this book and finally, last Saturday, I welcomed him to my little collection of paperbacks library. His arrival has been much anticipated, going by the number of approving reviews and praises for the book. From what I am savoring right now, I feel positively sure that my hopes have not been misplaced.
"If Christ played with doubt, so must we. If Christ spent an anguished night in prayer, if He burst out from the Cross,"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" then surely we are also permitted doubt. But we must move on. To choose doubt as the philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation." - Life of Pi
That is the most insightful passage I've come across in a very long while. To appreciate its depth, one will have to see the full picture. Earlier in that same page, Pi had voiced out his resentment towards agnostics. He argued that the true unbelievers were actually not the atheists, but the doubters. Simply put, even atheists hold their believes in the notion that God does not exist!
Later on, when I reflected upon that passage, a scene from another classic literature jumped into my mind. The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost. Each time I recall those words, I find myself standing at the head of the diverging paths. On my left, a narrow path overridden with thick undergrowth on both sides. On my right, a well kept path, with a sign that says,"This Way" and an angelic smiley face painted just below the two words pointing in that direction.
Now, the believer, as reasoned by Pi, will follow the proper, well kept path and forward he goes. The unbeliever, with a deep mistrust of the directional sign, is convinced that the shabbier way forward is the right one and off he goes too, down the path. What about the doubter?
The doubter, unsure of which to choose, whips out his mobile phone, calls his friend for directions but later feels that his friend's answer may not actually be the correct one, turns around and returns to where he came from. So, while the believer and the unbeliever eventually end up somewhere in the board of snakes and ladders, the doubter is forever stuck at square One, unsure of what to do and too afraid to leave it.
Believe, or do not believe. Do not take the third option.
P.S. if u're unsure of whether u should believe or not, Pascal's Wager might help u make your decision.
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