SOLOMON'S RECIPE (ePub)

Introduction

My life has spanned eight decades. In that time, I have witnessed amazing progress and discoveries in medicine, artistry, psychology, technology, engineering, and science. Despite these advances that have made living in the world so much easier, life continues to present all of us with daunting challenges. We still struggle daily. We all face the tragic loss of loved ones, life-and-death crises, betrayals by those we trusted, lifelong hopes dashed, and catastrophic events that can change our lives profoundly-and in an instant. Many see life as difficult and turbulent. But it need not be so lonely, scary, or painful.

My experience has shown me that there are four main reasons why we struggle when we face life's greatest challenges. First, we are reluctant to trust; second, we insist on understanding; third, we ignore or dismiss the higher power as "luck"; and fourth, we refuse to look for guidance from the divine.

My life's work has taught me that there are a lot of people we meet who, though they presented themselves as trustworthy, turned out to be anything but. So, who do we trust? How do we find trust in an untrustworthy world?

We are set, with adamant insistence, in requiring that we understand everything we face before we find the courage to act. So, how do we find the courage of heart to act without first understanding? How do we navigate life positively while feeling blindfolded and without a compass of understanding?

We have this propensity to acknowledge "luck" when for some reason something "randomly" goes right for us. Then we are bound to the dilemma of contracting with this entity "luck" to shine on us more frequently or in a specifically critical moment. How do we accomplish that? How do we speak to "luck"? Where do we find it? Can we do something more that takes us beyond mere random chance?