11/28

At first, I was shocked. My jaw dropped, and I was appalled-even disgusted. Siddartha's self-starvation, self-mutilation, and self-torture made me cringe in horror. However, this horror left as quickly as it had been incurred, and I realized he was simply carrying out his life in a away that made sense to him. Although I reflexively feared his actions, I saw there was only something to respect. He does what every sane individual in their life does (as insane as his actions may seem); he strives to achieve fulfillment. His spiritual journey may seem unorthodox through our cultural lens, but it does not make it wrong. In fact, his willingness to endure physical pain only strengthens my respect for him.