*
I thank you, dear reader, for taking this journey with me. For witnessing my learnings and goodbyes. And this is what I want to share with you. Take the time to be with your loved ones, laugh with your kids when you’re feeling down, take that trip, have tea with your neighbour, start that business you were always too scared to start, but remember that we all end up here one day. Don’t leave this life with regrets. Fill each day with love and happiness and surround yourself with blessings. Life, after all, is meant to be about joy.
And with these thoughts, I bid you goodbye.
Author’s Note
I was cleaning my teeth one night, feeling sleepy and ready to get into bed when Mr Jones jumped into my head. One minute I was zoning out and the next minute I was wide awake seeing a life flash before my eyes. In the space of what felt like ten seconds I suddenly felt that I knew the man who had entered my head, and I could feel the urgency with which he presented me his story. While I never met him in the flesh, I knew I had been chosen to tell his story and to spread the message that many of us need to hear.
With tears rolling down my cheeks and a very surprised husband looking on, I picked up my phone and started furiously typing into it. The feelings and emotions were pouring through me and I had to get the visions in my head noted down. I had seen the beginning and the end, and I knew that the rest of the story would come to me as I wrote.
Within two months the story was complete, which took me by surprise as, having young children, I do not get a lot of time to write.
I was sad to say goodbye to Mr Jones when the writing process was complete but now his story is immortalised in print and I hope I have done it justice.
Acknowledgements
This book has come about because of a journey and this journey would not have been possible without the loving and inspired support of so many people.
I would like to firstly thank my husband and my sons who have supported and encouraged my writing and have never lost faith in my vision.
To my parents for always encouraging reading and for allowing my imagination to blossom. A particular thank you goes to my mother and her incredible storytelling abilities. Through her example I learned to wow people with my words.
Thank you to my aunt who reads faster than anyone in history and who lent me her years of editing skills to get this book ready for reading.
Thank you to Debra Moffitt who has helped awaken the writer in me, for teaching me to trust my intuition and how to tap into it.
To my friends who have supported me from up close and afar, as I stepped on to the path I was always supposed to take.
And finally, to my faith and courage. Without these two traits my words would never have found paper.
Reading Group Questions
What do you think the main message of the book is?
The story raises the idea that we should all strive to live the life of our dreams rather than the ‘safe’ option. What do you think about that message? Is risk necessary to living a dream life and if yes, what are the risks?
Do you believe societal and parental expectations play too strong a role in the life path that people choose?
Mr Jones acknowledges that he treated his daughter differently to his son. In what ways did this manifest and why do you think these differences existed?
Forgiveness is an important theme in this book. Should we always forgive people who do us ‘wrong’? Why or why not? What is the true benefit of forgiveness?
Mr Jones describes the relationship he had with his parents as well as the relationship he had with his own children. How do you think the way he was parented affected the way he parented his son and daughter?
Mr Jones recounts the story of working with a very difficult boss. Despite this experience being extremely stressful for him, what did he gain from this relationship and situation?
This book explores the many relationships that Mr Jones has through out his life. Which story had the biggest impact on you and why?
A Lifetime of Goodbyes Page 15
