A person cannot direct his emotional life in the way he bids his motor system to reach for a cup. He cannot will himself to want the right thing or to love the right person or to be happy after a disappointment, or even to be happy in happy times. People lack this capacity not through a deficiency of discipline but because the jurisdiction of will is limited to the latest brain and to those functions within its purview. Emotional life can be influenced, but it cannot be commanded. Anupam Patra’s ‘ Promises of firefly’ amalgamates “A blind girl’s chance meeting with a stranger sets her on an unforgettable journey of love and light; a loveless marriage is rebuilt by the very thing that is meant to destroy it; an estranged mother’s fight to reunite with her daughter reveals to her the strengths and flaws of bonds of blood, two women separated by years of hostility discover the many forms of heaven and hell as fate decides to redeem their relationship; an eighty year old man’s chronicle of love and loss that tells us all about the permanent consequences of choosing against our heart’s will” together.
The book beautifully describes gifts and the spirit of celebration. Sometimes people appear in your life unexpectedly like a gift from the Universe. You didn’t even know you needed them, or that you had called out silently to them. They appear when you needed them most, to lift you, educate you, wake you up, or shine a light on your path. They sprout the seed that was in you, and patiently watch that seed emerge from the soil. Sometimes it wears them out to water and fertilize you every single day as you grow. This is a delicate time, you as the plant, and they as the nurturer. You as the plant need them for your growth, and they as your nurturer, have to have the energy to believe in your growth. Then, one day you blossom, and awaken to the beauty around you and rejoice. The only thing you ask from them anymore is to celebrate the flower they have brought to life, and to accept the riches you now will give to them. The book also portrays beautiful messages like “Happiness should not be a struggle nor a privilege , because feelings are priceless. So we can’t buy how we feel. You can be happy anytime you want. Stop making money an excuse of why you are not happy. Stop making excuses of why you are not happy, but find reasons why you should be happy.
The book also speaks metaphorically about the celebration of life. What really annoys me very often is when People start comparing two individuals. This clearly indicates that they have not lived their life at all. They are insulting themselves by resorting to these practices. They do not have even an iota of understanding as to how unique and gifted they are. Once you start living intensely, only then will you come to recognize your self, then you will be surprised how different you are, in your responses, in your actions – In Your Individuality, only then will you appreciate the uniqueness of others, not before. So, start living joyously, Celebrate Life!
And  as the title suggests, the book also creates a scene revolving around promises. When we get married, we promise a person the rest of our lives, “Till death do us part”. But what if in another life we promised someone forever? What if ten lifetimes ago we promised someone lifetime after lifetime after lifetime? Think about it. Maybe that’s why marriages fail when they do fail. Because maybe promises are never really broken.
Indeed ‘promises of a firefly’ is a very beautiful book which will take you on an emotional ride.