4 out of 4 stars
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Official review: AND THEN I MET MARGARET by Rob White.
In this non-fiction book the author sets out to teach the reader through his personal experiences how to live a fully satisfying life. Rob White clearly states that luck has nothing to do with the life everyone desires but deliberate everyday steps .And then I met Margaret, Stories of Ordinary Gurus Ive Met by Rob White is an inspiring book that tracks the authors life of discoveries to what a true and fulfilling life entails; the very treasures that lead to a satisfactory life. He teaches how to acquire and keep a bit of positive thinking in our personal lives and how to engage the present gear and enjoy every moment of life given now.
I agree with the author that bigger homes, fancier cars, even all the wealth in the world cannot bring total satisfaction. The author showcases that in our daily lives there are great teachers who give us excellent opportunities to learn who we are and that we have amazing potential to be the best. In every chapter he starts with a myth that he had grown accustomed to and the discovery made contrary to the myth. The lesson I took to heart most is to show kindness to all, it is the purest act of love. In this review I would like to mention the lessons that spoke to me most and those that have changed my way of viewing life since I have read ‘And Then I met Margaret, lessons such as; a happy successful life, comes with the right thought and the right feelings". Rob White teaches that there is always a positive side to every circumstance in life. In this incredible book, youll be taught how to live a quality life in the simplest way. For every lesson learnt, there is a story behind it.
Truly you'll find in the pages of this wonderful book that life is a teacher and there are key lessons to be learnt everywhere, if you keep an open mind. A young Rob White learns through a candy store saga that 'honesty is the best policy' and that 'sometimes its better to allow people to make mistakes they made and let it go, hoping that your kindness would teach a better lesson than scolding could'. Rob White states it well when he encourages the reader to learn to write and re-write their own lives, not to allow those who have come before you to cast your life on stone, be true to yourself, its the only way to really live. Stand for what you believe in and you have the power to persist.
True to his say, Rob White unveils the teachers in his life; through Pete a janitor in UMass, he learns that the life he longs for is his for the taking and that fear should never hold him back, through Malcolm, one of his students he sees the value of staying true to oneself and that any decision that one makes and learns from it is always the right one. Dr Tucker taught him in the middle of a forgiven cheating incident that you can use your brain appropriately or use it to devastate your existence. Succeed without compromising self-integrity or there is no win. Rob white, in this inspirational book, goes an extra mile to prove to the reader that if we are all keen enough, there is a lesson to be learned every day for the rest of our lives, we just have to be open-minded and always to carry a teachable spirit. Mr. Lampkin taught him that to succeed in life you have to pay attention and do your best. Don't settle for far less than what you truly want out of life. For me the biggest and best lesson I am taking and keeping from this awesome book is the importance to develop faith in myself, "A successful life is built on self-confidence. I have learnt to live a life of motivation not of indecision; that a life of motivation requires believing in yourself. That I have placed limits on myself and they are there for the breaking. Learn how to always listen to your inner voice and pay attention to its warnings, through Rob's tale of how Tim ran off with his money.
Follow Rob White as he falls and gets up again and again, as he fails and in his attempt to tap out learns a lesson from a mother on the beach teaching her son to surf that one unexpected defeat shouldn't cause you to quit. The mother on the beach also reminds Rob White that the correct outlook is always the first correct move to right future action. A dejected guitar player brought out this lesson, that if you contemplate a big launch and fail to take action, your dreams remain dreams. The big takeaway here is how to respond to the circumstances in your life determined only to win.
I want my life to be a daring adventure too. I have learnt to look within, since thats where the trapping begins; to always pay attention to the instructors life gives me, to look at where I want to go in life not where I don't want to go, not to waver where it seems difficult and that excuses will only slow down my progress. See in this inspiring life memoir, how life gives you many chances to discover to steer through the world safely, there is no better professor than experience, but ultimately you have to become your own coach if you plan to triumph. Another big takeaway as I read this book is that nothing is better than being authentic. You'll never feel like you have truly succeeded if you are not true to yourself. You only find true freedom when you are willing to stop hiding and become yourself.
Finally Rob introduces Margaret who brought the title of the book to life and in her pretty little red dress she teaches Rob that maturity is that point in life when you appreciate that the universe doesn't revolve around you, that those who feel appreciative and are eternally charitable, experience life at its richest. Another big lesson is that all life has incredible purpose or it wouldn't exist, a huge life lesson taught to Rob by a homeless philosopher named Swami Charles, “we are all part of the infinite which is infinitely perfect". I hope every reader by the end of this book learns to always keep their eyes wide open to what life is trying to show them and there is so much in life that is for them and not against them. In conclusion Rob White urges his readers to begin living life with the awareness of all the hidden teachers in their midst and they'll find themselves living with a new kind of interest, one that has them anticipating for the next transformational opportunity.
I have learnt too many lessons from this remarkable book, that's why I rate this book 4 out of 4stars. What I enjoyed most about Rob White's life story is that every time a guru taught him a lesson, he always went on to teach someone else who was in the same or worse predicament than him. I believe this was his special way of being grateful and giving back. I recommend this book to everyone because I am sure that we all want to make our lives better, more satisfying and be able leave a lasting legacy, this book certainly guarantees guidelines on how to do that.
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And Then I Met Margaret
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