Why Simple Truths?

We spend much of our lives learning how to earn a living. But how well do we prepare ourselves for living itself?

Since my early nursing days in the 1970s, understanding the human mind has been central to both my career and my own personal development. That interest led me to qualifications in counselling and psychology, and to years of reading about how we think, feel, behave and cope with life.

Over time, I noticed a gap.

At one end were little books of wise sayings: a quotation, a hint for happiness, a few words about survival or success, often beautifully illustrated. These can offer comfort and inspiration. But sometimes I wanted more than a sentence. I wanted something to think about, something that helped me understand what I was going through.

At the other end were substantial books exploring life and the human condition in considerable depth. There was much to learn from them, but they could demand more time and concentration than a reader had to give, especially when life was already difficult.

I wanted something between the two. Something accessible, with enough substance to matter.

One night, I sat down and brainstormed the experiences that will touch most of us during a lifetime.

You will feel stressed. You will grieve. You will experience illness. You will love, and you may fall out of love. Relationships will change. Things will happen that you did not choose and cannot control.

Some of those experiences are predictable, even though we cannot know when they will arrive. Yet they can still leave us feeling bewildered and unprepared.

I found myself asking: could we prepare a little? And when those moments came, could we have something close at hand to help us reflect, make sense of our feelings and find a way forward?

That was the beginning of Simple Truths.

The title matters to me. “Simple” means plain speaking, in language we can understand. It does not mean that life is simple, or that grief, illness or relationship difficulties can be tidied away with a few cheerful words.

And “truths” reflects a willingness to look honestly at life. Some things are uncomfortable to hear. We cannot control everything. We cannot avoid every loss. Sometimes we need to question our own assumptions or face something we would rather leave alone.

But honesty needs kindness. My intention was always to offer a friendly hand alongside those challenging reflections: something to help readers think, rather than leave them feeling judged.

I also wanted readers to have freedom in how they used the book. You do not have to start at page one and work through to the end. You can dip into the short chapters and find the one that speaks to your life right now. Another chapter may mean more to you at a different time.

Perhaps you are facing a loss. Perhaps a relationship is troubling you. Perhaps you simply want to understand yourself a little better.

That is why I wrote Simple Truths: to bring together years of learning and reflection in a form people could use in everyday life.

My hope is that, when you open it, you find something that helps you pause, see more clearly and feel a little less alone.

Simple Truths is available through my website, www.mwauk.com or direct at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Simple-Truths-Reflections-Relationships-Challenges/dp/1067692541/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0