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Artisan of the Human Spirit by www.tonyanders.com Tony Anders
book review by Millie Hinkle
"My simple request is to not limit your scope [,] to be open o new places and to see things that might have been under your nose for a long time."
After traveling down life's road, often times in the wrong direction, Anders reevaluates his life through his journaling. He questions all his preconceived belief systems and gains courage to look at alternate methods to interpret his own actions, beliefs, and behavior.
This book is based on his journal, which he gifts the reader with his own everyday experiences of figuring out a better way to approach life. His hope is that each reader will find hope and encouragement for their own life by his examples. In his enthusiasm to reach the reader, the author sometimes over-explains, rather than letting his examples speak for themselves. Insights are difficult to convey to another person, but we have to credit the reader with common sense.
The basic message of this book is to live in the present. Today's pace has distorted our perceptions. We project into the future and make plans, often ignoring what is directly in front of us. The childlike wonder is placed neatly in the past, until something takes our breath away. Then, we don’t know how to explain our genuine emotions, so we may put them away as not real, not relevant.
After each essay, there is a list of questions to ponder. The readers may take Anders text as springboards into their own experiences to gain insight into their lives and circumstances. These reflections are to encourage new thought processes. Anders' enthusiasm comes across throughout the book. He truly loves life, and he loves people, even when things don’t go the way he would like. This book is a travel guide for the people we meet and life we encounter that make our lives difficult.