“When You Live in the Past It Costs You The Present”
The fortune cookie tells it all!
This is the simple quote I extracted from the fortune cookie after a celebratory dinner for my Brisbane Book Launch at Avid Reader in March 2016. It’s a classic fortune cookie message but what amazing synchronicity to find it on the launch night of my first book “This Present Moment”. The essence of the book is just that: not festering in the pain of the past by living mindfully in the now. It is a book of fifteen mandalas hand drawn by artist Grace Cuell to complement fifteen meditations designed to anchor those in need who may otherwise be caught in the tumultuous waves of overwhelm. I know that feeling inside and out because seven years ago I was diagnosed with aggressive stage four breast cancer.
As someone who had experienced being thrown into darkness, but also as a psychologist, I wanted the words to bring light by being meaningful and helpful. While people still tragically die from cancer all over the world, there are now many more medical options to extend life. “This Present Moment” aims to enhance emotional and psychological well-being, because holding on to fear and anxiety can be crippling.
One of Grace’s mandalas from This Present Moment, this photograph features in the 2018 calendar.
Grace found mindfulness through the process of creating the mandalas and naturally produced a beautiful looking book with illustrations that give so much joy and inner peace. As I write this, after 1000 copies of “This Present Moment” have made their way into the hands of those that need them, I have just one copy left.
So, what now?
With a new year approaching I decided to create a calendar of my favourite quotes coupled with my photography during the year of the release of “This Present Moment”. The calendar features my current home of Brisbane, my former home of Ballina, NSW, my birth town of Melbourne, and my home away from home, Narrabri, NSW.
The cover features a photo of the fortune that I pulled from the cookie on the first night that I added the word ‘author’ to my name. It is a reminder of the powerful combination of creativity and courage to create a new path through adversity. Each month’s quote builds on a theme from “This Present Moment”; such as kindness, courage, creativity and joy…
My wish for you is good fortune for 2018. While the year ahead is guaranteed to have highs and lows – my hope is that these images and words bring a mindful moment of peace to each and every day.
To buy “This Present Moment” calendar, click here!
Mum’s garden looked greener last year!