The Compass - a Life Transforming Novel
How to Improve Wellness Through a Journey of Self Exploration
There are thousands of self-help books on the market to help anyone achieve self-empowerment. For those who don’t like self-help books, almost any novel, biography, or autobiography can provide some of the insights needed to motivate them along this path.
The Compass by Tammy Kling and John Spencer Ellis is a great example of how words can help to influence lives. It is a life transformation novel which takes the reader along on this journey of self-discovery.
Jonathan, the main character has been ravaged by tragedy. He is numb and paralyzed by his own grief and pain as he sets out on a journey that at first seems to be an escape and perhaps even a suicidal attempt as he finds himself wandering in the desert without water.
His journey takes him many places across the country and around the world where he meets a diverse mixture of people who each teach him a lesson about himself, others and life in general. Each place and the people in it provide him shelter and comfort and allow him to move through his own grief process and to reset his inner compass.
Does This Person Seem Familiar?
Through their own lives and actions, each character who comes into Jonathan's life helps him to find himself and his own purpose as they challenge his belief system, his authenticity, his dreams, and his own definitions of who he his.
One of the characters, Pete, tells Jonathan that, “Sometimes it takes a season of brokenness in order to find the true joy and beauty that can lead to transformation.” Life is short and there is no dress rehearsal. Dare to dream and follow those dreams, and if they don’t work out, let go and find another dream.
A young boy of ten, Solomon, teaches Jonathan that people are not to be defined by their jobs. It is not what they do, but who they are that matters in life. This boy with the old soul helps Jonathan to awaken from his numbness and begin to rejoin the world. He focuses his energy on pulling himself out of his depression and isolation, and begins to find himself again. He allows his body and soul to begin the healing process.
Effects of Life Events on Health Status
Life events take a toll on the human spirit and in turn on the body. Stress levels can greatly affect the health status and bring on events such as heart attacks and strokes. Stress can affect blood pressure, glucose levels, digestion, sleep and eating habits, etc.. Mental health is dramatically affected by external events as well.
Perception Makes a Difference
The brain looks at events as they happen in two ways; from the right side and from the left. In basic terms, one is logical and the other is creative. How a person sees and reacts to life events can have a major impact on his/her health status. Finding ways to see life from a different perspective can provide the means to a happier and healthier life. Take some time to read The Compass and see if it makes a difference.
The Compass by Tammy Kling and John Spencer Ellis. © 2009 by Vanguard Books, a division of Perseus Books Group, Philadelphia, PA. ISBN 13: 978-1-59315-542-1.
The Compass
|
More in Health & Wellness
Latest Articles