The Motorcycle Diaries

I knew not who this young man was, or what he had become later on when I watched The Motorcycle Diaries, intermittently in Zee Studio before a couple of years. I tried to read the book now, pretending to have not known this young man, or what he has come to be to me.
It was an experience reading The Motorcycle Diaries.

The book is not only the account of 'making of a revolutionary icon' in the 20th Century. It is an elegantly written, profoundly influential travelogue. It is one of the finest and smooth books to read. The simplicity of the people and their lives, with all their struggles amidst the vivid descriptions of the sublime nature is the consistent undercurrent throughout this Diary.

The entire book is as if a prologue to the last chapter (When you read it, might agree),
Recollecting a few lines in the last chapter:

I knew... I now knew that when the great guiding spirit cleaves humanity into two antagonistic halves, I would be with the people.

This young man chronicling his adventures and revelations in the countryside of the Latin American continent could have been anyone amongst us. Each of us at some point of time are brought to such revelatory experiences in one form or another. The point is how much of influence these experiences have on us. We seldom give heed to what these experiences reveal to us; We conveniently shut ourselves off.

Whereas this young adventurer, who set off to know his continent's people, was transformed to become one of the greatest revolutionaries of the human history, who goes on to inspire millions of youngsters even today.
Che!

We might concur, or differ with Che's politics and his warfare, but the urge to recognize and stand against oppression, backed with relentless dedication and efforts is what Che is all about.
He is as relevant today, as he was during his times.

We need to open up ourselves; Then observe and act. If it takes a little of Che in each of us to do it - So be it.

Never a step backward,
Never a moment of weakness.
- Ernesto 'Che' Guevara