This blog post is about the book “The Box, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse”, written by Charlie Mackesy

Firstly about the author, Charlie Mackesy. In a video interview with him and other team members who created a movie out this book, he shares the details about the way he got in to art, the thought process behind the book and the events that led to the creation of the book. Watch it if you are interested about the author. I found the video pretty interesting and the way various artists interpreted the book and made it in to a movie, that went on to win the Oscar

About the book itself, it is a story of four characters that possibly we can each identity in some form or the other. Through these four characters, the author tries to explore the vulnerabilities of human life; at the same time communicating timeless wisdom through the conversations among the four character. One can map each characters to what they are feel through the book and what wisdom do they impart for anyone across age groups

  • Boy
    • Lost in the world and doesn’t know where he is going
    • He is in search of “home”, metaphorically a destination that will get rid of the issues that he is currently having, i.e. loneliness
    • Reflects deeply on many aspects that plague us
      • Isn’t it odd. We can only see out outsides, but nearly everything happens on the inside
      • Doing nothing with friends is never doing nothing, is it ?
      • One can make a huge difference despite the size
      • Being kind is one of the best things that you can become when you grow up
      • Best discovery - I am enough as I am
      • Why are we here ? TO love and be loved
  • Mole
    • Carefree
    • Sees everything as a play
    • Everything revolves around cake. You can substitute cake to be money, power, prestige, or anything that we humans desire
    • Despite being playful and overtly concerned with nothing else but cake, the mole has some fantastic insights about the way world works, such as
      • Comparing yourself to others is the biggest waste of time
      • Success is Love
      • Most of us when we grow old wish they had listened less to their fears and more to their dreams
      • Being less afraid about uncertainty is one of the best ways to live
      • One of the greatest freedoms is how we react to things
      • Being kind to yourself is one of the greatest kindnesses
      • We often wait for kindness but being kind to yourself can start now
      • Often the hardest person to forgive is yourself
      • Acknowledge the feeling that we feel lost from time to time
      • Love doesn’t need you to be extraordinary
      • The greatest illusion is that life should be perfect
      • Be curious
      • I am enough as I am
  • Fox
    • Feels that there is nothing to share
    • By being silent through most of the story, but following the right characters in the book, and more importantly doing the right thing, ultimately, fox ultimately becomes friends with the rest of the characters and feels at home
  • Horse
    • Gentle character but zen like views on life
      • Tears fall for a reason and they are your strength not weakness
      • Help is the bravest things that one can say
      • One is strongest when one dares to show weaknesses
      • Asking for help isn’t giving up. It is refusing to give up
      • We all need a reason to keep going
      • Nothing beats kindness. It sits quietly beyond all things
      • Sometimes just getting up and carrying on is brave and magnificent
      • Life is difficult but you are loved
      • Being honest is always interesting
      • We don’t know about tomorrow. All we need to know is that we love each other
      • When the dark clouds come, keep going
      • When the big things feel out of control, focus on what you love right under your nose
      • Don’t measure how valuable you are by the way you are treated
      • Always remember your matter, you are important and you are loved, and you bring to this world things no one else can

Takeaway

A beautiful book that packs timeless instructions on life. Spend half hour reading this book and you will most likely come out of it feeling good