Today,
I celebrate 75 years on this planet, a magical milestone. I must
document a few thoughts before it is too late because no one knows
what tomorrow holds, and the chance to watch another sunrise
diminishes each day after this special birthday.
I’ve
often heard that age is just a number, so why the urgency?
Before
addressing that, I ask myself: Do I have any unfulfilled wishes? Yes,
I do. I want to write one more book. After my first novel was
published in 2012, it took me thirteen years to write another one. I
never thought I would write again. My journey began in 1996 with my
first book, *One God In You and Me (OGIYNM)*, in which I explored the
idea that the multiverse is God and that nothing exists outside of
God; we are all a part of God. In 2012, I published my novel *Never
Had a Chance to Say Goodbye* to further elaborate on the concepts
from OGIYNM. I thought that would be the end of my writing
career.
Then came 2024 and the Color Revolution in
Bangladesh. What unfolded in the country deeply moved me. The
destruction of a rising nation struck a slow, burning pain in my
heart. I spent many sleepless nights contemplating it. As a form of
catharsis, I wrote *A Meticulous Plan* in 2024. Yet, peace still
seemed elusive, which led me to write another book, *A Line In The
Sand*, coming out soon. However, there was another book I had longed
to write even before my 1996 publication, and I wish to complete that
before I take my final rest.
Returning to where I began,
I find myself revisiting questions that troubled me during my
formative years:
Why am I here?
Where did I come
from?
Where am I going?
As my time on this earth
draws near, I no longer grapple with those perplexing questions that
haunted me as a young man.
Some may say that religions
have provided answers to these inquiries, so why bother seeking
more?
I understand that many people believe religions
provide answers to these questions.
However, I think
critically about religion: humans created religions, and religions,
in turn, created God, a personal God. But that explanation has never
satisfied me. Early in my life, I realized that I was, on one hand,
so insignificant that I could not fathom holding God within my
brain—the mere 3-pound universe through which the multiverse exists
for me. On the other hand, I also recognized that I was powerful
enough that the multiverse did not exist except through this 3-pound
universe. How did I reconcile these two seemingly contradictory
ideas?
*One God In You and Me (OGIYNM)* was not a
revolutionary concept, nor was it my own discovery. It has roots in
Vedanta, a concept discussed by humans thousands of years ago. Yet,
people have frequently misunderstood me when I expressed my faith in
a similar manner. Some labeled me an atheist, others an agnostic,
while many perceived me as a safe God-believer. The confusion seems
to arise from my rejection of the traditional notion of God.
So,
if I don’t believe in the conventional God, what do I believe in?
Honestly, who cares? Why does it matter? My beliefs are personal, and
that does not make them universally true. Why sweat?
On a
serious note, I have been describing my understanding of God through
my writing since the publication of OGIYNM, complemented by two
novels that further illustrate that idea. Yet, many people still do
not grasp it. I promise to explore this topic further in the near
future. For now, all I want to say is that I respect your religion,
whatever it may be, and you should respect mine, which is
none.
Meanwhile, I would like to thank everyone who
congratulated me on my birthday!
