this book was beautifully crafted with a mix of descriptive prose, poetry and photography, Each chapter begins with a prose description of a particular phase in the author's life, followed by "lifelines" short poems that capture the author's feelings from that time.
Interspersed are lovely photographs of various natural subjects, The author lays bare her innermost thoughts, both through her prose and her poetry, I think the book will certainly appeal to many readers, particularly those who share the over sensitivities that Bernstein so aptly describes, Many people seem to need to find a label to attach to their array of symptoms, proclivities, etc, In Bernstein's case, she latches onto research by Kazimierz Dabrowski into highly creative/gifted people suffering from existential depression, Dabrowski finds these people had excessive levels of reactivity in their central nervous systems he called these "overexcitabilities" OEs, These tendencies put the sufferer at greater risk of developing neuroses and other mental health disorders, Dabrowski, a Polish Catholic, was writing at roughly the same time as Irvin Yalom American born of immigrant Russian/Polish Jewish parents wrote extensively about it beginning in thes.
Arguably, Yalom is the better known of the two psychiatrists,
There were many times, while reading the book, where I simply felt sad that the author had never sought out a good therapist, but instead stayed buried inside her own negativity and judgment of the world around her.
A perfectionist her attempt to control everything in her life, she was quick to write off any socalled friends who didn't response with the compassion she expected.
She describes her realization "at a very young age" that everyone dies and that "there was no inherent meaning or value to life.
" In spite of finding no meaning in life, she harshly judged others for failing to understand "the ephemeral nature of existence" and condemned them for "flitting around without a care in the world.
" If life had no meaning for Bernstein, why would/should it matter how anyone spent their time between birth and death She hated the human body with its smells and noises.
As a result, the author spent endless amounts of time trying to control all aspects of her life, searching for who knows what even she had no clue for what she searched.
Eventually, Bernstein realizes that she has a choice regarding the attitude she can adopt towards life, She recognizes that she had a tendency to "overanalyze and intellectualize, . . enmeshed in negative thought patterns, " She acknowledged that she spentyears "wallowing in selfpity, " She recognizes that existential depression, as such, cannot be cured but can be managed,
The saddest part about Bernstein's life, as she herself recognizes, is that she spent so much of ityears suffering, I find it a bit odd that never once does she speak of the benefit of finding a good therapist! Certainly, a book about healing from an orthopedic injury, a chronic physical disease, etc.
would entail seeking out professional expertise, Had Bernstein done so, she likely would have discovered viable ways to relieve her suffering,
I'd rate this book a,, but unfortunately that is not an option given the rating system, It's a solid book, well written and unique in its format with prose interspersed with poetry, And the photography is beautiful, It's a bit too "victimy" for me, It doesn't seem like the author's expectations are a twoway street, Bernstein expects sensitivity to her sensitivities, but nowhere does she make allowances for the fact that most people are simply not like her.
Frankly, it reminds me a bit of the news stories about college professors who have been required to tell students ahead of time about disturbing material to be presented in class and to set up a special adjoining classroom with teddy bears and hot chocolate.
Seriously, life is tough and the sooner people realize that the better off they will be, That said, yes, it's important to be sensitive to the needs of others, But when life happens, don't crucify people, Today I save a life
Although it was my very own
Which won't serve a greater purpose
Till I rescue lives unknown
Melissa Bernstein, owner of themillion dollar toy company Melissa and Doug, has bravely wrote a book of her life journey through existential depression and anxiety.
What she hopes this beautiful book will do, is to allow others to take a journey with her, and find their own, inspiration, healing, and lifelines.
The book is part symphony of prose, part her journey, This is not your everyday How to Get Through Depression book, or How I Got Through Depression, The book is her journey through her own art and deepest expression, Its how she got through, by coming through her own realizations and insights, then expressing them authentically, and then finally, the lifeline of wanting to give the gift to others of finding their own expression.
Whats completely different about this book, is that Melissa wants to take a journey with you, There are two growing communities right now, working to create their own authenticity, sacred spaces, and communities, There are the igniters, those committed to helping others see the beauty of this book, and are committed to their own communal inner work together, to access its gifts and share them.
I have been committed to being and Igniter, and have joined her Igniter community, Then there are the seekers, Those who seek healing, and are joining working groups with her to find their own lifelines, This is what is saving her life, and maybe more lives than that, Its her new passion. To Ignite others to Seek and find their own lifelines,
The book itself is beautiful, The cover is beautiful, the photography is beautiful, the prose is beautiful, the words are beautiful, The journey is painful but beautiful, Its also infused with hope, and creativity, To Melissa, lifelines are reveling in natures beauty, savoring food and conversation, art and creativity, delighting in others,
I have been thinking lately about choosing life, choosing hope, choosing happiness, and sustaining those choices, Melissas book and journey makes a stand that its possible, Not just possible, but essential to freedom, She begins with the idea of insights, reflectivity, and realizations, deepens that with connections of art and joy, and ends with the question of how to sustain the feeling.
How to live when the storms come, She quotes, “In order to move forward, I needed to live in my heart experiencing life, while reframing the story in my head to one of possibility.
”
We each possess a gift
Birthed deep inside us from the start
Though unwrapping it requires
Utter presence in the heart
For the key to life is learning
How to sow our precious seed
Into genuine expression
That sustains the love we need
When we are thankful for the blessings
Present every single day
All that gratitude bestowed
Attracts more miracles our way
Keep on going
Dont look back
And lift your head up high
Share the Truth
Of who you are
And feel loves passion unify
Dont lament
What might have been
Or prior yearnings left behind
But stay present
In this moment
With the joy now yours to find
Love has been here waiting
To receive with open arms
We just havent paused to greet it
Chasing folly and its charms
We must cultivate our gardens
To grow vibrantly alive
Then disperse the fertile seeds weve sown
And to help the world to thrive
Do the work you most believe in
And believe in what you do
The rest will ring in harmony
At one with all thats true
This is a big beautiful book from Melissa, the woman who created the popular Melissa amp Doug toys.
Suffering with mental health issues this Is her journey, Anxiety, panic and depression happens to the young, the old, the rich, the poor, I really enjoyed reading this whopping book full of beautiful photos, quotes and poetry, I've suffered from anxiety and can really relate to her journey, I connected with her thoughts and struggles, A deep look inside someone with mental health issues and it let's one know you are not alone in this struggle, Like the title it's a lifeline from darkness into light,
Dawn Ruby
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY I related so much to her mental health struggles and greatly appreciated the revelations she shared.
I highly recommend this book, Lifelines is a beautiful book, both in terms of its written content, and its visual aesthetic, Melissa, the author, is refreshingly vulnerable and able to communicate existentialism in easily digestible and relatable language, Her verses are a reminder that we should, and need to, embrace the practices in our lives that are lifegiving and soulfillings, regardless of
what the outside world thinks.
Her book has been an incredible source of inspiration and selfreflection for me, especially in regard to what it means to be creative, and to create in a world with uncertain meaning and purpose.
Beautiful and inspiring story that takes us from the deepest grounds of despair to a shining glimpse of hope, Melissa is so vulnerable talking about her experience that it really makes the reader connect with her story and find his or her own moments of quirkiness, desolation and also salvation.
Her verses read as something you could read to a child, but the depth of emotion in them is disarming, After reading this book, you really want to run and find your own lifelines and then ask your loved ones for theirs so that you can support them better.
I especially enjoy her ideas on creativity, on creating from the heart and embracing her failures, Thanks Melissa for sharing your beautiful story! These immensely personal pages of selfexpression give us some understanding of the struggles Melissa has had with existential depression and anxiety and celebrate the light she has found to continue living with a purpose.
LIFELINES provides valuable insight from someone who has traveled the road to greater understanding of self and experienced all the feels,
Read our full review and a QampA with the author here:
sitelink comcofo Melissa Bernstein, the creative genius and cofounder of Melissa amp Doug Toy Company, has bared her soul in her upcoming book, LifeLines.
Available Marchth, preorder today! She has been struggling with existential depression and anxiety her entire life, She was denying her despair, hiding it from the world and suppressing her overwhelmingly negative feelings and thoughts that were leading her to the brink of self destruction.
In LifeLines, An inspirational journey from profound darkness to radiant light, Melissa opens up and shares all that she has experienced, the challenges she has faced, and her hopes for the future.
Hundreds of rhyming verses included before and after each chapter, written by Melissa, beginning in early childhood and continuing through now, reveal her inner most feelings, biggest worries, and deepest thoughts, from very dark to increasingly positive and hopeful.
The beautiful book also includes volumes/chapters that speak to topics that have profound meaning for her Creativity, Loneliness, Martyrdom and Perfectionism, She shares personal stories and recollections of her thoughts at different times throughout her life, often based on childhood journal entries, Also, printed in the book, are artful photographs of nature, something incredibly important to Melissa, as nature provides her great solace on difficult days and every day.
These immensely personal pages of self expression give us some understanding of the struggles Melissa has had with existential depression and anxiety, and celebrate the light she has found to continue living with a purpose.
I highly recommend this book for everyone anyone who feels or has felt depressed, anxious, or who knows someone who struggles, and anyone who is a partisan of self awareness, self expression, and the journey inward.
Self acceptance and greater understanding of others leads to more kindness, and LifeLines provides valuable insight from someone who has traveled a road to greater understanding of self and experienced all the feels.
In addition to Melissas book, she, along with her husband, Doug, and the Lifelines team, have developed an exciting, and unique interactive ecosystem and warm community that lives at lifelines.
com. Here, with Melissas personal journey as a framework, you can create your own personal profile and embark on an inward journey to self understanding.
There is a virtual hike with stops along the way to leave your personal baggage behind, collect nuggets of wisdom and participate in activities that encourage mindfulness.
There are also opportunities to connect with others, experience nature and attend experiential workshops, all at no cost, Lifelines. com ensures that You Are Not Alone and it is well worth visiting, If you decide to stop in at Lifelines, com, please leave a comment here letting me know your thoughts! Visit Book Nation by Jen for the full review and Q amp A with Melissa.
sitelink com.