In 'Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart', Gordon Livingston weaves poignant reflections on life, aging, and the pursuit of wisdom. With a blend of personal anecdotes and insightful observations, he challenges readers to confront their life choices and embrace the inevitability of change. Each chapter resonates with profound truths and practical advice, serving as a reminder of the lessons we often overlook. This thought-provoking read encourages a deeper understanding of our priorities and relationships, leaving us with a sense of urgency to live authentically. Discover how to turn the lessons of the past into a brighter, more meaningful future.
By Gordon Livingston
Published: 2008
"The most important things in life aren’t things; they are the moments, experiences, and connections we create that define our happiness."
The beloved bestselling collection of common sense wisdom from a celebrated psychologist and military veteran who proves it's never too late to move beyond the deepest of personal losses After service in Vietnam, as a surgeon for the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in 1968-69, at the height of the war, Dr. Gordon Livingston returned to the U.S. and began work as a psychiatrist. In that capacity, he has listened to people talk about their lives--what works, what doesn't, and the limitless ways (many of them self-inflicted) that people find to be unhappy. He is also a parent twice bereaved; in one thirteen-month period he lost his eldest son to suicide, his youngest to leukemia. Out of a lifetime of experience, Gordon Livingston has extracted thirty bedrock truths, including: We are what we do. Any relationship is under the control of the person who cares the least. The perfect is the enemy of the good. Only bad things happen quickly. Forgiveness is a form of letting go, but they are not the same thing. The statute of limitations has expired on most of our childhood traumas. Livingston illuminates these and twenty-four other truths in a series of carefully hewn, perfectly calibrated essays, many of which focus on our closest relationships and the things that we do to impede or, less frequently, enhance them. Again and again, these essays underscore that "we are what we do," and that while there may be no escaping who we are, we have the capacity to face loss, misfortune, and regret and to move beyond them--that it is not too late. Full of things we may know but have not articulated to ourselves, Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart offers solace, guidance, and hope to everyone ready to become the person they'd most like to be.
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“The most important things in life aren’t things; they are the moments, experiences, and connections we create that define our happiness.”
Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart
By Gordon Livingston
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Gordon Livingston, M.D., was an esteemed psychiatrist and author known for his profound insights into the human condition. He authored several notable works, including "Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart," "The Zen of Living," and "The Conversation: A Revolutionary Plan for End-of-Life Care." His writing style is characterized by clear, concise prose that blends personal narrative with psychological expertise, offering readers both wisdom and compassion.
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