Dreams from my Father

January 25, 2009

Published in El Univesal
(Venezuela) on 22 January 2009
by Juan Carlos Sosa Azpúrua (link to original link to original)

Translated from by Norma Colyer. Edited by .

When reading “Dreams from my Father,” written by Barack Obama at age 33, it is easy to understand the reason why he is now the most powerful person on earth. In that book, the current U.S. president reaches into his inner self and brings to light the existential dilemmas that he confronted and how he went about resolving these during the course of his short life.

The work struck me in two areas. The first has to do with the spectacular intelligence that he demonstrates when analyzing his most important experiences; the serious reflection engendered by the human experience which so many people do not even know exists. A life that from the first day on was full of contradictions and confusing references, of emotional and intellectual pressures which could have destroyed him, or worse, turned him into a self-conscious and fearful being, incapable of contributing much to the world around him.

Obama’s dilemmas became an adventure to be solved, to be understood in order to fit the puzzle pieces in a context of optimism and humanity. The book highlights the serenity of a person who has finally found himself, a necessary characteristic needed to understand others, and even better, to be able to forgive.

The spiritual richness of the author shines through each time he remembers an anecdote or analyzes a person. The second thing that the book touched in me was the beauty of his writing. The author could very well have dedicated himself to literature and have eventually risen to the level of the great writers. His prose is verse, and each paragraph offers as a gift an ingenious metaphor that does not fail to touch those who know how to enjoy these details.

The complexity of the times we live in, so much hate and exclusion, requires the presence of exceptional leaders, rare birds that appear on the horizon once in a while. Barack H. Obama is that kind of leader.

Al leer "Dreams from my father", escrito por Barack Obama a los 33 años de edad, se puede entender fácilmente el porqué actualmente es la persona más poderosa del planeta. En dicho libro, el actual Presidente de Estados Unidos realiza un viaje a lo más íntimo de su persona y permite que salga a la luz los dilemas existenciales que confrontó y el cómo los fue resolviendo a lo largo de su corta vida. La obra me impactó en dos esferas. La primera tiene que ver con la espectacular inteligencia que demuestra cuando analiza sus experiencias vitales, la profunda reflexión que le producía aspectos humanos que tanta gente jamás ni siquiera se entera de que existen. Una vida que desde el primer día estuvo llena de contradicciones y referencias confusas, de presiones emocionales e intelectuales que pudieron haberle anulado, o peor, convertirle en un ser acomplejado y temeroso, incapaz de aportarle mucho al mundo exterior. En este personaje, los dilemas se transformaron en la aventura de resolverlos, de entenderlos para encajar las piezas del rompecabezas en un contexto de optimismo y humanidad. Resalta a lo largo de la lectura, la serenidad de quien finalmente se ha encontrado, rasgo necesario para lograr entender a los demás, y, todavía mejor, poder perdonar. Cada vez que recuerda una anécdota o analiza a una persona, brilla la riqueza espiritual del autor. La segunda cosa que me impactó del libro, fue la belleza de su escritura. El autor bien pudo dedicarse a la literatura y alcanzar eventualmente el nivel de los grandes. Su prosa es verso, y cada parágrafo ofrece como regalo una metáfora ingeniosa, que no deja indiferente a quien sabe disfrutar de estos detalles. La complejidad de los tiempos que vivimos, tanto odio y exclusión, necesita de la presencia de líderes especiales, aves raras que pocas veces aparecen en el horizonte. Barack H. Obama es esa clase de líder.

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