I have just completed reading my latest book by Dr. Terry A. Gordon entitled, No Storm Lasts Forever.
Actually, I must confess that I don’t just read a book. I devour it. By the time I was finished with this book, it too resembled most all of the other books I have read and own: amply marked up with yellow highlighter underlining and lots of Post-It Notes crammed within, flagging pertinent passages.
Prior to choosing this book to read, I was unfamiliar with Dr. Gordon. I learned that he is a retired Invasive Cardiologist who practiced at Akron General Medical Center in Ohio for 20+ years. Dr. Gordon is also involved in “Steward’s Caring Place, a wellness facility for those touched by cancer and serves as a co-host of United Way’s “Doc’s Who Rock.” He is also the father of four children, including son Tyler whom the book is written about.
The book is written in a journal format encompassing 47 entries divided among three parts or sections. Journal writing is similar to diary writing though less structured and does not adhere to a methodical timeline of dated daily entries. Think of journaling as putting down words in black and white that help us reexamine what we have been through and what we have learned from it.
In my opinion, this work is a consummate effort by a father to share his feelings of pain and joy in coping with and supporting his seriously injured son along with his wife, family and friends.
Dr. Gordon’s journal-book represents a testament to one’s faith in hope. Hope is and remains a choice for all of us no matter how dire our circumstances. It is a choice over the alternative which is deep despair, depletion of all of your energy and an overall disengagement from active living. Hope allows you the option to climb out of the wreckage after colliding with a stone wall. Despair, or rage will forever keep you pinned there, stuck in the pile of rubble--forever feeling your unhealed wounds. Hope is the promise that a positive outcome is within our grasp.
In the book, Dr. Gordon invokes a quote by Lau-Tzu which is: “If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.” This is certainly so when it comes to the choice of hope over despair, anger and rage.
What I liked most about Dr. Gordon’s book was how he was drawn to nature and drew strength from what he observed both while in Colorado where his son was being treated and also back home where he resides in Richfield, Ohio.
Dr. Gordon and especially his wife believe in the existence of Angels and their daily involvement in their lives. Dr. Gordon shares the experience of one of these angelic visitations to his Tyler’s bedside while he was recuperating from his paralyzing injuries. My wife and I share the same belief in their existence and assistance to us as caregivers of four aging parents.
Dr. Gordon loves music and one of his favorite musicians is Kenny Loggins. I too became a fan of Kenny Loggins in the 1970’s when he sang, played and toured with Jim Messina.
This book will teach you that the unforeseen tragedies that can strike you or a loved one down carry within them seeds of opportunity as well. Opportunity to transform and refine your life for the better as you heal and rebound from the disease, the accident or the misfortune. We can become better people, better spirits as a result of having lived through and endured the experience.
Jeff Dodson
August 16th 2012
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Hay House Publishing for this review. The opinions expressed in this review are unbiased and reflect my honest judgment of the product.
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