Have you ever dreamed of meeting famous people in history in order to gain their knowledge, words of wisdom, and insights? Would you be able to identify with their strengths in your present life or would you feel this would be an impossible task?

In “The Traveler’s Gift” by Andy Andrews, he chronicles the life of one man’s success and failures at losing his job and his loss of purpose by taking him on a soul-searching journey, traveling through time, as he meets famous people in history. Each person he meets imparts on him their words of wisdom to live by. He is given seven decisions that determines personal success.

From President Truman to the Archangel Gabriel, he learns that the seven decisions consist of:

1. The buck stops here. I will accept responsibility for my past and for my success and my future. (President Truman)

2. Seek wisdom and be a servant to others. (King Solomon)

3. Be a person of action, inspiring others with your activities and be a leader. (Colonel Joshua Chamberlain)

4. Have a decided heart. Be passionate about your vision for the future. (Christopher Columbus)

5. Choose to be happy today. Be a possessor of a grateful heart. (Anne Frank)

6. Greet each day with a forgiving heart and forgive those who criticize you unjustly. (Abraham Lincoln)

7. Persist without exception and continue without exhaustion. (Archangel Gabriel)

In summary, the author states that “there comes a time in every person’s life when a decision is required and that decision will have a far-reaching effect on future generations–your actions can literally change the world.” Your actions, behavior–both good and bad–and your relationships can change the world for the better when you accept responsibility, seek wisdom, inspire others, choose to be happy, forgive one another, and persist without exception.

Happy reading,
Yvonne