Nugget Road

Sole to Soul

Nugget Road chronicles a spiritual odyssey encompassing 10,000 steps, as the author seeks answers to lead a purposeful life. Throughout this journey, the author gathers valuable nuggets of wisdom, weaving anecdotal stories from his life alongside insights gained from encounters with philosophers, entrepreneurs, and inspiring muses. The narrative unfolds as a path to enlightenment, wherein the author identifies his Ikigai and unlocks the creative drive necessary to pursue his passions and dreams.

* The Oxford English Dictionary defines ikigai as “a motivating force; something or someone that gives a person a sense of purpose or a reason for living”.

Author's Bio

Rasool Verjee, is an enigmatic, serial entrepreneur. Born in Uganda, of Indian heritage he migrated to Canada in 1985. A graduate of Cambridge University his career is marked by innovation and entrepreneurial success. In 2023 after open heart surgery he hangs up his hat as an entrepreneur in pursuit of money to embark on a spiritual journey to find his Ikigai. His life is fusion of diverse cultural influences, a relentless zest for living and a commitment to finding his purpose.

Chapter 1:
My Second Chance

On Father’s Day, Sunday June 18th 2023, I was at Union Restaurant, in Toronto, waiting by the bar for our table. The rest of the family waited outside. 
 
Suddenly I collapsed to the floor with a thud. My son and wife ran in and attended to me as did a gentleman and his son who were enjoying their brunch. 
 
They lifted me into a chair. I keeled over and hit the floor again. At this precise time my daughter called the restaurant and spoke to the manager. She asked him to charge her card as she wanted to treat us. The manager passed the phone to my son who told her what happened and not to worry. 
 
In the meantime the paramedics arrived and wheeled me into the ambulance. I was admitted to Mount Sinai Hospital an hour later. 
 
The consulting cardiologist told me my aorta was 75 percent blocked, I was fortunate to be alive. I would need a quadruple bypass. 
 
I was comforted to know that I was going under the knife of an eminent cardiac surgeon whose brother was an equally eminent brain surgeon. I sent his name to my daughter. She called me in a panic. Dad are you having brain or heart surgery? I had sent her the name of the brain surgeon. 
 
Six days later I was wheeled into the operating room. 
 
Administrating the anesthesia was a young Ghananian doctor to whom I wished Eid Mubarak. He wished me the same. It was Eid al-Adha known as the “Feast of Sacrifice”. Eid al-Adha is the day that commemorates the Quranic tale of Prophet Abrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael as an act of obedience to God. 
 
As I was about to go under he whispered in my ear. “Don’t worry Allah will take care of you”. He did. I survived.
 
My brothers, who had both undergone open heart surgery, told me that when I came to in the ICU, I would hallucinate and  imagine different people appearing. 
 
Sitting on the edge of my bed was Rainer Maria Rilke reading from Letters to a Young Poet. “The only journey is the one within.” 
 
On the opposite corner sat Neil Pasricha the author of The Book of Awesome. He encourages his readers to take “untouchable” days. 
 
These are days scheduled in your calendar as sacred days. They should be sacrosanct, not easily changed. On this day leave your cell phone behind. Take a vow of silence. In these moments of solitude and introspection, create space for self-awareness, and embracing the ongoing journey of self-discovery. Ralph Nader said in a recent podcast “it’s very difficult to have time for solitude when you have the opportunity grab it”. 
 
On June 25th 2023, I was released from hospital grateful to be alive. 
 
I had been given a second chance to achieve my dreams and aspirations. Another chance to discover my purpose in life. The Japanese call this your Ikigai. 
 
The Oxford English Dictionary defines ikigai as “a motivating force; something or someone that gives a person a sense of purpose or a reason for living”.

Chapter 2:
Journey of 10000 steps

I would call the book Nugget Road a journey of 10,000 steps to finding my Ikigai.
 
Through out my life I have adopted Theories, principles, rules, beliefs and practice that have guided me.
 
I will share these with you together with the nuggets of wisdom I’ve found strewn along my path down Nugget Road. 
 
I will also share the knowledge from the philosophers, entrepreneurs, poets and muses I gain on my journey. 
 
All of these are weaved together and combined with anecdotal stories about my roller coaster ride through life. 
 
It was Socrates who said  “The unexamined life is not worth living.” He was emphasizing the importance of self-reflection in finding purpose and meaning in life.  To be continued in the book.

Podcast

The Good Eggs

On my Podcasts I will be talk with individuals who are making a difference in the world. They are passionate people driving charities that change people’s lives. They do it with humility,  a genuine caring for others and without fanfare. I call them Good Eggs.