Issue 47 - In-Yun

Welcome to Issue 47 of Deep Life Reflections, where I share five things I’ve been enjoying and thinking about over the past week.

In this week’s Friday Five, we explore the timeless wisdom of The Prophet, one of the most-read and celebrated books of the last century, analyse the poignant nature of reconnection after more than two decades in the Oscar-nominated film, Past Lives, and contemplate the role of fate, destiny, and the power of our choices.

Join me as we explore this week’s Friday Five.

1. What I’m Reading

The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran.

“When love beckons to you, follow him, Though his ways are hard and steep.”

The Prophet is a book written in 1923 by the Lebanese poet and writer Kahlil Gibran. Born into an impoverished Christian family in Bsharri, Lebanon, in 1883, he emigrated to New York as a child of twelve. The Prophet is Gibran’s masterpiece—a collection of twenty-six poetic fables on life and the human condition. The book has been translated in over 100 languages and is among one of the most-read books of the last century, inspiring the lyrics of John Lennon, among others.    

The book tells the story of the prophet Al Mustafa, about to board a ship home after living in the fictional city of Orphalese for the past twelve years. As he readies for his journey, the townspeople stop him and ask if he can share his wisdom on topics such as love, friendship, passion, pain, children, self-knowledge, pleasure, religion, and death.

Each of these subjects is given its own chapter, allowing the reader to absorb Gibran’s wisdom in whatever sequence they prefer. There is much wisdom and comfort in his words. In the chapter on ‘Giving’, Gibran writes, “You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”

Like several artists throughout history, Gibran received little public recognition during his life. His health marked by chronic illness and self-neglect, he died in 1931, aged just forty-eight in New York. His final resting place in Bsharri, now a museum, is visited by more than 50,000 pilgrims annually, a testament to his impact on literature and thought.

As I mentioned in a previous issue, The Prophet was a thoughtful gift from a friend while I was in hospital. The inscribed message, “For James, here’s to having a lot to celebrate in life!” captures the book’s core message. It encourages each of us to reflect on the decisions we’ve made, the imprints we leave behind, and the paths we’ve yet to walk—inviting us to cherish and celebrate the wealth of experiences life offers.

Embracing Gibran’s wisdom reminds us that prophecy lies within us all, authoring our own stories with courage and hope.

2. What I’m Watching

Past Lives. Directed by Celine Song.

In Korean, people use the word ‘In-Yun’ to describe the belief that interactions between two people in this life are a result of interactions in their past lives—a concept of fate or destiny. ‘In-Yun’ lies at the heart of Past Lives, a US-South Korea Best Picture nominee at this year’s Academy Awards.  

Nora and Hae Sung are childhood friends in South Korea separated when Nora’s family emigrates to Canada, leaving a heartbroken twelve-year-old Hae Sung behind. There’s a powerful shot in the opening minutes of the childhood friends parting ways on the packed and narrow suburban streets of Seoul—a simple “Bye” marking their last physical encounter.

The story jumps forward twelve years, and we find Hae Sung using Facebook to track Nora down to New York, where she’s now working as a writer. Despite this reconnection—a virtual one through the use of Skype—they lose contact and another twelve years pass before their paths cross again, this time physically in New York. Now in their mid-thirties, Nora is by her own admission more American than Korean and married to the decent and understanding Arthur.

Past Lives reminded me of the Before Sunrise and Before Sunset films by Richard Linklater, questioning the “what ifs” of life and the role of fate and chance. It’s clear Nora and Hae Sung share a deep connection, one forged over four decades and the powerful pull of nostalgia. Yet, they are also paradoxically distant through the choices they’ve made. As Nora’s mother says early in the film, “If you leave something behind, you gain something too.” This speaks to Nora’s spirit of adventure and the search for the unfamiliar. While Nora is searching to gain something, Hae Sung believes he may have already found it (Nora herself). This distance is also symbolically captured by the contrasting shots of Nora’s nighttime New York and Hae Sung’s daytime Seoul. We see this too in the camerawork of writer and director, Celine Song, who shoots their New York reunion from a distance or in the shadows.

Past Lives is a beautiful and uplifting film that invites us to reflect on our own lives, on the people we meet, and the choices we make. It’s stripped of the usual Hollywood sentimentality found in films of this genre, which makes it a more human film. It doesn’t give us neat answers or conventionally happy endings. And maybe that’s the point. To be grateful for our time with people, even if it’s not forever.                

3. What I’m Contemplating

The themes of fate, destiny, and the power of choice in both The Prophet and Past Lives had me thinking about one of the most significant decisions in my own journey. Twelve years seems to be a recurring pattern this week, and so it’s fitting that 2024 marks the twelve-year anniversary since I left Scotland for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). I was thirty-six when I left Scotland, comfortable in many respects, but with an itch to explore and try something new.

In an alternate reality, I might have stayed in Scotland, leading a life very different from my current one. Yet, living in the UAE has led to major personal growth, whether by meeting people from many different cultures and backgrounds, the opportunity to travel far and wide, and cultivating my passions for writing, photography, and coaching. The UAE has been a powerful environment for development, and much of that comes from the people around me. Beyond the stereotypes of wealth, luxury, and excess, are people with their feet firmly on the ground, like-minded people also seeking personal growth, meaning, and a shared sense of community.

Was it fate or destiny that brought me to the UAE, or simply an unexplainable turn of events? I don’t have the answers. What I know is that my only prior experience of the country was a brief weekend here in 2010, and I had connections with only two people. Back in Scotland, I had my family, friends, routines, and a stable career. But perhaps like Nora in Past Lives, I was also sensing there was more to be discovered in life: “If you leave something behind, you gain something too.”

4. A Quote to note

“The more you know who you are and what you want, the less you let things upset you.”

- Bob Harris (Bill Murray’s character in Lost in Translation)

5. A Question for you

Can you think of a time when a seemingly random event significantly changed your life's direction?

Thanks for reading and being part of the Deep Life Journey community. Have a great weekend.

James

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