Your own infinite message begins with one sentence

You have to admit, when human beings try to communicate with one another, and the words they share actually resonate, it's pretty amazing. In my experience, parents might be especially in awe when that happens, but I have a feeling spouses know that rare event when they see it.

That's why I'm totally amazed that the Infinite Messages chapter of my book – where I list the key thoughts I want my children to take away from what I've written – have resonated so thoroughly with many readers.

Some readers have even been inspired to write their own Infinite Messages. And you – yes, you! – need to try it. (Warning: none of them has found this process easy, but all have found it surprisingly rewarding. They're wiser than they thought!)

Here's the deal:

I had reached a point in my life where a lot of good things, and a lot of bad things, had happened to me.

But I wanted to figure out if the bad things had ultimately come to any good. I had lost my older daughter, and my younger siblings, and struggled all my life with speaking. But so what? What had I done with those experiences?

First, I wanted my children to know that bad things were going to happen to them, despite their desperate efforts to avoid them. That's just the way it works. But – and here's the kicker – human beings have an amazing power to survive what happens to them.

In figuring that out, I looked back and realized that living is about learning to lose what you love – be it a person, a job, your physical capabilities, whatever – and that we survive by putting those events into a context that we call our life story.

It's a process anyone can undertake, and you don't have to write a book to do it.

You're the author of your life; what do you have to say?

Start with writing just one sentence: what have the experiences of your life told you about surviving it?

At a recent book club I attended, members came with initial efforts at their own Infinite Messages – not yet fully formed, but beautiful! Deeply thought and deeply felt.

I was thrilled, and I want to encourage more readers to try it. The next opportunity is at my book signing at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at Horizon Books in Traverse City.

Bring your message. Or just your desire to write one. Our stories are important. Don't let yours go untold.