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| The book that inspired the post |
A few days ago, the book "The Diving Bell and the
Butterfly" was gifted to me. And it was such a sweet surprise that I could
not resist reading it. Within two days I finished it!
In it, I read the story of Jean-Dominique Bauby who at some point
was the editor in chief of the French magazine, Elle. In June 1995, he suffered
a stroke. Thanks to this, Bauby was trapped by locked-in syndrome and became a mute
quadriplegic. I think his condition is what gives significance to the diving
bell reference.
But what is the significance of the butterfly?
The prologue reveals that "my diving bell becomes less
oppressive, and my mind takes flight like a butterfly." My interpretation
is that butterflies represent freedom.
The story is notorious because Bauby was able to share with
the world his story while being in a state of physical captivity. The essence
of Bauby's story has surprised a great deal of people. Many admire his mental tenacity.
Others celebrate his spirit. The cover of the book alerts us that this is the “testament
of a man who refused to die in spirit."
Over the years, the story has been highly acclaimed. In 2007,
it was adapted into a movie. The film was recognized in several film festivals.
It is striking that thanks to Bauby, we came to know the
unknown with respect to a person under the effects of locked-in syndrome.
I was struck by the bright mind of Bauby. It is impressive
that he managed to convey to the world his experiences despite his condition.
But, I admit that as I read the story, I was captivated by another aspect of
the book.
The story was transcribed letter by letter! During the
course of the book, we find that Bauby only has the ability to partially move
his head and blink his left eye. Then, an editor would dictate a frequency-ordered
alphabet and Bauby would blink to indicate the appropriate letter.
So, while many celebrate Bauby, I choose to celebrate the
editor who transcribed the story, Claude Mendibil.
I'm surprised that very little is spoken of her. But without
her there is no story. Without her we could not appreciate the nuances in such
an inspiring story.
I could say that the person who gifted me the book
represents a Claude in my life.. This person moved me to write. Inspired my
mind to take flight. Gifted me butterflies.
And this made me think that if our lives are books and
stories to be told, then we rely on people to somehow inspire and act as composers
of our experiences.
