Jelen Rex Keller

No, I didn't finish it. Not the book for me. My rule (which works pretty well for fiction) is to try to read at least 25%, and generally by that time I'm into the book and go ahead and finish it. It didn't work so well here.

I immediately felt a disconnect with this book. It seemed a little too preachy. But I decided to stick with it. Like some others, I did get a worthwhile push from her discussion of the gratitude journal, and I applied that lesson to my prayer journal which has a section for "thanks."

But her other exercises didn't appeal to me. And, to be honest, I don't think I need help in finding my "authentic self."

The book title uses the term "simple abundance" and she would refer to it often. I felt I would have appreciated an overview of what she meant by it. The piecemeal explanations just weren't giving me a big picture.

Still, I had promised myself to read through whatever page corresponds to April 1. (Oddly, there are no page numbers in this huge tome.)

But the more I read the more she reminded me of what I dislike about Martha Stewart and her ilk. Her new-age spirituality was a turn-off, although she apparently was trying hard not to offend anybody who isn't religious. I am religious, and don't mind saying so.

Late in Feb., she challenged her readers - had they been doing those exercises from January? The gratitude journal and 3 or 4 others. She said something to the effect that if the reader wasn't doing those, they should give the book away to somebody who wanted to take the journey with her. I guess I should have listened.

Still, it was only a bit more than one month's worth of essays. So I stuck it out. And now I'm celebrating the fact that I am DONE with this book. Others may feel differently. So the book goes back to the public library to be available for them
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