Jessica Buchanan
Auteur de Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six
A propos de l'auteur
Œuvres de Jessica Buchanan
Étiqueté
Partage des connaissances
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Membres
Critiques
Statistiques
- Œuvres
- 3
- Membres
- 94
- Popularité
- #199,202
- Évaluation
- 4.2
- Critiques
- 7
- ISBN
- 9
I've known the author for quite a few years, but I did not know about all the background of her story. The key message that she repeats: “Never turned down anything but your coat collar”, resonates deeply. Even though there are so many other lessons that can be learned from her story.
Her story is unfortunately, like the story of far too many women and many people who are not in positions of power, the minorities in our present society. They are consistently undervalued, underpaid, underestimated, and they are under respected. In hindsight, she managed to deal with all of that with great aplomb. She improvised, adapted, and overcame. Indeed, she fought like a Marine.
Grit and resilience are her guiding mindset, even though it took its toll on her mental and physical being. This was a lesson that was brought to the foreground as I read through her narrative. Something that I did not really truly believe until much later in my life, when I realize that your existence in toxicity takes an immense toll on your health — mental, intellectual, and physical; even though I knew that reality deep in my subconscious, I denied that reality because of what society and the work culture had ingrained in my psyche. She was much more conscious of that fact; but most importantly, unlike most people, she had the courage to do something about it.
One lesson that blossomed during her narrative is her realization of the Stoics lesson: the dichotomy of control. Essentially, it is: “control what you can control, and don't worry about what you can't control”. In her narrative about a particularly evil boss, she talks about holding a grudge and her belief that the universe will level the karmic disparity. Her admission that her realization of the fact that the great leveling had taken place but in a way that she hadn’t foreseen was a powerful admission. An admission that holding on to all of that vitriol really does nothing, that her basic belief in the fairness of the universe will happen, just not in the way she expected, and in the end all of the grudge holding over something that she could not control was wasted energy. It builds the toxicity in her being and brings her down. I believe, I don't know this for a fact, that the moment she realized that she had ultimately won is the real moment of victory over her own shortcoming. Even as she avows that she still holds grudges, I don't think that it is at that same level.
This is a heartfelt recommendation for this book and for this story because it is a straightforward lesson for all the lost souls out there who are going through self-doubt, denial, mental anguish, and all that comes with living in the vagaries of life. The lesson is that there are no recipes, no formulas, no How-to methods to get through all of these things, because everybody's journey is different, and everybody's journey should be different. It doesn't take a formula or a recipe to overcome all that life has in store for us.
It takes taking a deep breath, and taking every chance that life offers you, to never turn down anything but your coat collar, shutting your eyes, moving boldly into the unknown, taking your chances, making your mistakes, learn from them, and then making brave decision based upon who you are and what you know, because that's the only way to deal with life. Learn to deal with difficult situations and difficult people as they show up in your life, but never turn down an opportunity to experience life.
This story is a shining point of light to all who think: hope is lost, or is in fear of themselves. This is a beacon for all to take inspiration and to be motivated. Even though They don't have the metaphor of singing to inspire them, but I am very sure that the author’s example will inspire many to look uniquely at their own situation and draw inspiration from her experience.
Joan Didion once said: “I write to find out what I think.” This is a powerful example of that quote, we are all better because the author chose to find out what she thought and shared it with us.… (plus d'informations)