Thoroughly Used Up

Posted on July 23, 2019 by Laurie Buchanan

While walking along the Boise River Greenbelt, I came upon this dead bird. After burying it beside the riverbank, I continued on my journey and thought about Shirley Hershey Showalter’s post, where she shared this quote:

“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to the future generations.” —George Bernard Shaw

This quote describes what I believe and what want for my own life.

[bctt tweet=”What do you want to hand to future generations?” username=”@TuesWithLaurie”]

What do you want to hand to future generations?

Book Cover Reveal

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Laurie Buchanan

Baggage! We all carry it with us through life. It comes in a wide variety of styles, shapes, and colors—more than enough to accommodate the stuff that we accumulate through life. And no matter how we dress it up, it’s frustrating, inconvenient, and slows us down. In fact, it’s downright disruptive.

This book is about offloading emotional baggage—something that’s especially important when we realize that we don’t just pack for one; we pack for seven. Each of the seven selves—self-preservation, self-gratification, self-definition, self-acceptance, self-expression, self-reflection, and self-knowledge—has characteristics, wellness types, and shadows. Each plays a vital role in harmony, overall health, and well-being.

Chock full of real-life emotional examples, as well as “keys” at the end of each chapter offering actionable tips, techniques, and exercises designed to help you unlock baggage, examine it, and offload it permanently, Note to Self will help you discover a lighter, joy-filled you!

Here’s what two of the advance readers had to say:

“While we are all passengers on a planet called Earth, we can choose to enhance the way in which we travel: emotionally, spiritually, intellectually, and physically. In fact, we can, through the pages of this book, discover new ways to travel that are lighter, more fluid, and life-enhancing. The author, a wise and dedicated traveler, is also the right kind of kind of guide—caring, inspiring, uplifting, knowledgeable—for your journey of self-discovery. I recommend this tremendous book to anyone seeking the companionship of good energy and joyful presence. A five-star read in every way!”
—D.A. Hickman, author of The Silence of Morning: A Memoir of Time Undone

“What a dazzling rainbow of wisdom Laurie Buchanan has assembled into one volume! Drawing on a wide range of spiritual teachers and scientific discoveries, Buchanan guides the reader on an exciting journey of self-discovery. She is a modern oracle at Delphi, and this book a modern temple with ‘Know Thyself’ written on every page. Highly recommended for daily spiritual practice (a list of 365 questions at the end will guide journal writing). Leaders of retreats, and spiritual seekers will be sharing well-thumbed, dog-eared copies soon.”
—Shirley Hershey Showalter, former president of Goshen College and author of  Blush: A Mennonite Girl Meets a Glittering World

I’m looking forward to November 1, 2016—the publication date of Note to Self.

What’s the next date/event that you’re looking forward to?

When Breath Becomes Air

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Laurie Buchanan

When my friend, Shirley Hershey Showalter, wrote about When Breath Becomes Air in her blog post, When Time Shall Be No More: Kalanithi and Kairos, on February 10, 2016, I read it immediately following the book I was currently reading. Shirley’s wisdom and track record are such that when she recommends something, you don’t hesitate.

It’s rare that I use my blog to share about books that I’ve read. An avid reader and reviewer, I use Goodreads and Amazon for that purpose. However, I feel so strongly about When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi that I’m sharing it here.

After ~~reading~~ devouring the book, this is the review I posted on Goodreads and Amazon:

“For over two decades a particular book held the highly coveted all-time-favorite-book place in my heart. In one fell swoop, WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR single-handedly took its place. Each word chosen with tremendous care, the writing is exquisite. A call to action, the reader can’t help but sit down and carefully examine the nooks and crannies of their essence to discover what it is—exactly—that gives their individual life meaning. A call to action, this book is going to change your life!” —Laurie Buchanan

To date, what is your all-time favorite book?

Blushing In Seattle

Posted on July 15, 2014 by Laurie Buchanan

Last week Len and I drove to Seattle where my friend, Shirley Hershey Showalter, was speaking about her book, Blush: A Mennonite Girl Meets a Glittering World, an engaging memoir that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

Having only ever met online, it was a distinct pleasure to listen—in person—to Shirley read one of my favorite chapters from her book to an attentive audience at the ever-popular Third Place Books, and then get to know her a bit better over coffee afterward. It’s abundantly clear that she still has the same ready-grin and twinkle in her eye that’s evident throughout her book.

Laurie Buchanan and Shirley Hershey Showalter

If you were to write a memoir, what would the title be?

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"Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing." —Laurie Buchanan

Tag Archives: Shirley Hershey Showalter

Thoroughly Used Up

Book Cover Reveal

When Breath Becomes Air

Blushing In Seattle