A MOMENT'S PAUSE FOR GRATITUDE

A debut memoir in short stories that explores the author’s ongoing journey to a more grateful existence.

In brief pieces, organized by topic, former educator Carroll explores the idea of being thankful for things large and small, and how this stance can enhance a person’s attitude and overall well-being. Along the way, the author delivers small bits of his personal experiences, expressing gratitude for such things as education, parenting, childhood innocence, and the many opportunities that each day presents. Even sadness and grief, the author emphasizes, can be tools for growth if one approaches them with an open mind in search of new experiences. Carroll reflects on specific lessons he’s learned as a parent, discussing how change inevitably occurs in all relationships over time. Coping with that variability, Carroll insists, is one of the most important skills that a human being can develop. The book’s loose structure allows readers to dip in and read any part at any time. Each piece begins with a quote from a famous writer or thinker, followed by a quick but powerful anecdote. In one compelling passage, the author discusses visualizing outcomes, starting with a famous quote from the late self-help author Robert Collier: “See things as you would have them be instead of as they are.” He then illustrates the power of visualization with a story about his son playing baseball; the child had been fearful of stepping up to the plate after being hit by a pitch, but practicing visualization helped him hit a game-winning double, Carroll writes. Overall, this book is a positive, motivational guide to setting one’s intentions each day.

An effective self-help memoir that successfully relates the power of gratitude.