One of my favorite books is the classic, 'Kim', by Rudyard Kipling, published in 1901. An elderly monk from an isolated Tibetan monastery in the Himalayas is on a journey to find The River of the Arrow. He has walked many miles for many days before he meets up with an orphaned Irish boy named Kim who lives on the streets of a busy city in India. The book is about the journey, and it is about the friendship between the young kid and the old man. The lama (teacher) is gentle-spirited and naive. For being a deep elder, the man knows little about city life and social expectations. The kid is street smart, knows people around town, and easily finds food for the monk and safe places to sleep.  It's the kid who takes care of practical concerns, who bargains for good rice and vegetables for himself, and to fill the monk's bowl. In general, this is not difficult because many people consider feeding a monk on a journey an honor, or good fortune. Kim sees himself as a caregiver for the monk and takes satisfaction in this new role in his life. The monk calls him his chela, or student.

There is a lot of political activity and subterfuge behind this thread. While traveling with the lama, the boy comes into contact with various characters who are a part of a network of everyday espionage and strategy. He is also rediscovered by some of his father's contacts in the British army. Years pass by as Kim is turned over to obtain traditional schooling, but he maintains contact with his friend the lama who seems to grow no closer to finding the object of his journey.

Kipling creates many colorful scenes that introduce the reader to the romance of life in India, to trading, magic, to the poor and the well-to-do. As a four-time reader of the book, I have a bit of a blind spot regarding the political intrigue, and am always surprised by its existence within the book. The storyline of the relationship between the boy and the lama, of the boy's natural reaching out to learn from this teacher he has found, however, glows throughout and give the story its wholeness.

There was a movie based on this book. The only scene I remember is the ending where the lama has been ill and given up hope. He makes a slow effortful walk outside of the home where he is being tended, and finds epiphany at a stream running at his feet.