Dreams from my Father
Published in El Univesal
(Venezuela) on 22 January 2009
by Juan Carlos Sosa Azpúrua (link to
original)
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.
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.
Previous article![]( "Expecting Obama")
