The neighborhood is full of churches and temples and other places of devotion. Sometimes I look at them more closely than others.

I am curious about the concept of guru, and as usual, when I am curious about something some large part of my exploration is through books. As my latest entry in books about gurus, I’ve just finished reading Rachel Manija Brown’s “All the Fishes Come Home to Roost,” memoir about her years as an American child in an Indian ashram.

The tale a wonderful example of how humor and curiosity can help us survive human challenges and discomfort and how story telling itself can be an act of healing.  Finishing the book at the start of guru purnima reminds me of how many of my teachers have been books.