Sometimes we forget how far we have traveled while we are looking ahead to the next steps. Good to lie down and remember what it took to get this far, all those karmic hoops we had to jump through, all those overcomings. Good to stroke our face with love and to remind ourselves how much courage it took and who we would have become if we hadn’t braved the journey. ~ Jeff Brown

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that Jeff Brown’s soul and mine are good friends. They speak to one another all the time and have quite a lot to say. No, never a dull moment when our souls connect and they do, every time I read something he’s written.

Jeff Brown’s new book, Love It Forward, is out, an event I’ve been looking forward to for months.  He calls it “a collection of spiritual graffiti.”  I call it wisdom. Like most of us, his lessons about life, love and sacred purpose were forged in the fire of life and he’s not afraid to share what he’s learned in memorable quotes, aphorisms and even a little bit of discussion. His mind goes to amazing places and in his new book, he brings us along with him.  It’s a trip you’ll want to take.

I often try to imagine a world where we are not in competition with our fellow humans, but where we truly, madly, deeply soulebrate when others actualize their dreams. Imagine that. A world where we get excited for each other when we achieve–where we do not see another’s accomplishments as a reminder of what we have not yet actualized–but as living proof that it is possible for all of us.  ~Jeff Brown

If you’ve got kids, you probably know that feeling of pride and excitement at their accomplishments. Imagine extending that to everyone in your sphere–and in the world!  So much nastiness in the world, so much unhappiness is caused by the zero sum game we play: for me to win, you have to lose. Jeff points outs a better way. A more loving way to happiness and fulfillment.

If you’re my age, you know that it wasn’t possible to live through the 60s without hearing at least once about “the family of man.”  Jeff uses other words, but the concept is the same. He says that living our purpose is a necessary ingredient for the world to move forward–that our impact is bigger than ourselves alone.  It’s a staggering concept, really, if you think about it, this idea that the steps we take in our life make a real difference in the world.  We move forward for ourselves–but also for the world around us.

At the heart of this book is the belief that every individual came into this life with a sacred purpose at the core of their birth. We are not random concentrations of stardust, nor are we accidental tourists. We are divinely inspired, purposeful and essential to this wondrous human tapestry. Although the ultimate romance is with our own soul, it is our experiences together that give birth to the essential lessons. If we get off the dance floor, we postpone other’s lessons, too.  ~Jeff Brown.

Do you know your sacred purpose? Your journey is probably leading you there–mine did without me even noticing it–as Jeff writes, sometimes we know more than we are admitting to ourselves about our path because we are afraid to live our truth fully. And he reminds us that The universe delights in our actualization.

He’s got quite a lot to say about love, too. And imperfection. And…and….I could quote Jeff forever, but instead, I suggest you buy his book, Love It Forward, available at all the usual places.  Each page has at least a snippet of wisdom and most contain far more than a snippet–huge concepts in short form. The compact hard copy Jeff sent me is perfectly sized for my nightstand. After reading it through on a plane ride (and interrupting my husband at least half a dozen times to read passages to him) I now use it as a thought-a-day book. Every morning I read and meditate on a page. You might like to do the same.  And while you’re at it, buy his book, Soulshaping. You won’t regret either.