Jonathan Livingston Seagull

There are some books which you can relate to life. Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach is that book. It beautifully showcases the journey of a Seagull who took the leap of faith and was determined to take the road less traveled by. Most Seagulls don’t bother to learn more than the simplest facts of flight — how to get from shore to food and back again. For most gulls, it was not the flying that matters but eating. For Jonathan Livingston Seagull, though, it was not the eating that mattered but the flight.

He used to spend whole days alone, making hundreds of low-level glides, experimenting. N number of unsuccessful attempts, outcast from the flock of Seagulls, multiple times was reminded “Don’t forget, the reason you fly is to eat.”, “Be like rest of the flock Jonathan”, “To leave flying to the pelicans, the albatross. Just focus on eating.”

Every attempt he made was a failed attempt. As a result, a strange hollow voice sounded within him. “There is no way around it. I am a seagull. I am limited by my nature. If I were meant to learn so much about flying. I’d have charts for brains. If I were meant to learn so much at speed, I’d have a falcon’s short wings, and live on mice instead of fish.”

Dejected he thought to join the flock again, thought to be a normal gull. It would make everyone happier. No more challenge no more failure. Seems his calling was so strong that these thoughts were short-lived. Not deterred by this, he was back to flying again. Something which he enjoyed the most.

He continued to learn all alone. Content with what he was doing. Then came one evening when he met two other Seagulls. To Jonathan’s surprise both the gulls enjoyed flying as well. Both the gulls already knew things about the flight which Jonathon was learning. They took Jonathan under their wing. “We’ve come to take you higher, to take you home”.

Jonathan said “Home I have none, flock I have none. And we fly now at the peak of Great Mountain Wind. Beyond a few 100 feet, I can lift this old body no higher”

“But you can Jonathan. ” What follows is how he did it. He followed his passion for flight. Book has 4 small parts to it. Every part narrates his journey on the road less traveled by.

LEARNING

1. The story touched me. The whole point being in life we all go through something similar. While some turn out to be Jonathan Livingston Seagull, some voices remain unheard and are overpowered by how others would react to their actions.

2. Jonathan found two gulls who took him under their wings. In life, there are people who will be there for you, show you the path, tell you. “You can”. While you would encounter the opposite as well. Here lies the difference you would always look up to the person who stood by you after every fall. Taught you lessons.

3. “Fail early, fail often, but always fail forward.” — John C Maxwell.
Pick yourself up after every fall, dust yourself off. Give it a shot again.

To the real Jonathan Seagull who lives in all of us. Fight for all it’s worth. :)