A Few Thoughts on “When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi
During his last year of medical residency at Stanford, Paul Kalanithi learned that he had terminal cancer. With less than 2 years left to him, and despite being so debilitated by cancer, Paul wrote this moving and thoughtful memoir. I read the book a few years go, and it continued to stay with me, grounding me more times than I can remember.
The book is partly a story of relentless ambition, with Paul receiving a degree after another, working hard and long hours, and delaying “living” because he was so focused on neurosurgery and completing his residency. As he chronicled his career path, he felt alive to me — like one of my many friends who work hard and care deeply about their impact. It is also a story of a brilliant man who searched for meaning in books, degrees, philosophy, medicine, and writing — and I feel lucky that I got to see a glimpse of his mind.
For a few years now, this book served as a reality check, reminding me of how uncertain futures can be. When I forget to live because I’m working all the freaking time, or when I take my healthy body for granted, or when I ignore my deep desire to write, or when I feel impatient with my parents — Paul’s words have kept me in check, reminding me of how ephemeral life is.
