Half a Heartbeat Away

About the Book

As human beings we have all had not only our own unique experiences but also ones that are universal and can be shared with so many others. This book deals not only with the seemingly mundane but also with issues or experiences not shared by all. It is important that people be given a voice to validate the things they find difficult to express or share with others. Most importantly people need to be inspired and to have their spirit, hope, sense of peace and self-identity re-ignited. It is important to learn from the past but we must also be willing to learn from others and engage in a future that encompasses empathy, hope, peace, laughter, and overcoming the trials in our lives.

Some of the common themes in this book are: Choosing to go through trials in our lives and come out stronger. Choosing to receive and reciprocate true love and friendship in our lives. Choosing not to allow others to steal away the best of who we are. Dealing with being different, such as those who have premonitions or special gifts that define who they are. Taking responsibility for actions and teaching children to do the same with respect, dignity, honesty and humility. It deals with loss and grief, life lessons and the quest to overcome the worst, such as not allowing others to dump their toxic baggage at our feet. Most importantly, acknowledging that we all need silence and solitude in our lives to restore our spirit and listen for the guidance we need to take the next steps in our lives in confidence and with a sense of peace that we are on the right track. It is about life and the choices we make that effect not only ourselves but also those around us.

About the Author

I have an aunt who, many years ago attempted to extol on me the dangers of spending too much time thinking. I just smiled, as she was unaware of the worlds I could explore in my mind. Yes, I have always been a thinker for as far back as I can remember I have no regrets about that as it has contributed greatly to my desire to see things in different ways that are often difficult to explain to most people. I know there are a lot of other people like me in varying degrees and it is those people who have a chance to make a difference in this life. I have chosen writing to express how I see and experience things and have reaped the rewards of having people of all ages relate to the way I write. That to me is a blessing.

I continue to write in a way that perhaps allows people to see things differently as well. How can that be a bad thing? Sometimes it is stating the obvious and other times it's setting things in a context that allows people to hear their own voices and validate the things they have not been able to express to others. I am inspired most by two different kinds of people. There are the people who have lived extremely difficult lives and refuse to lose their sense of being or their sense of humor. Then there are the people who are deep and complex in a way that allows them to see farther and deeper into things. They almost have to live two lives because the things they see and understand can often surpass words and they rarely find people who are able to connect to that part of them.

All in all there are universal experiences and those that people keep to themselves. It is my hope that I can somehow validate both kinds of experiences and help people to have a voice where perhaps they felt they had none. Perhaps through my writing I can give people a chance to see how they too, can be a conduit to help others. I have seen countless times where a very simple act of kindness can be a life changing experience for someone. It is my hope that the stories in this book will give people the opportunity to see how each and everyday each of us can be "Half a Heartbeat Away" from choices that will change perceptions, lives, hopes and dreams.