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Common Ground Review Of "Emails From (Over?) The Edge
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"Everyone, through simply being alive on this planet, accumulates
life experience. Not everyone, however, chooses to set them down
on paper. Nick Woolsey, a self professed "cyber-visionary"
and author of Emails from (Over?) the Edge rendered his two-year
odyssey of quasi-madness into a reflective and informative account.
Writing it, he was a mere twenty-five years old and initially,
I was somewhat dubious about relating to his journey, having visited
twenty-five some number of years ago. I happily discovered that
my doubts were quickly dispelled. There are books that help shape
our consciousness, facilitate a change in thinking and move us
from a state of inertia to action. Woolsey's book allowed me to
remember how differently I used to change my world at twenty-five,
by responding to what was presented. With the passing of years,
patterns and habits become entrenched, becoming much harder to
alter. I liked the way that nick took action. I liked the way
he didn't shift blame onto anyone else. During his two years of
visiting Ashrams, tree planting, and planning, as he called them,
his "lonely communications revolutions," he decided
he was responsible for how he was in the world. As well as recounting
his experiences, Woolsey includes a nasty over-soul in the book,
representing his personal demons and their malevolent attempts
to destroy him. The head-demon issues charges to his peons i.e.
"Make him cry as much as you can!" What they do not
account for is Nick's propensity for prayer and his relationship
to some very good friends. Throughout the book, the author records
emails received and sent while on his travels, often referring
to a future tense, introducing characters not yet met by the reader.
Readers of all ages will relate to Nick and his search for meaning
in his life. His relationship fears, worries about money and his
passion for pursuing his dream are themes that weave through all
of our lives. Of relationships, when he shares that he was "scared
of ending up feeling responsible for someone else's feelings"
who among us, regardless of age, cannot relate? Even more universal,
who has not thought at one time or another: "I started thinking
God was out to get me." Emails from (Over?) the Edge is a
timely read as we prepare to step out of this century into the
next. Be brave! |
