Book Description

Many folks deny their past and are embarrassed by some of the things they have done. While it is easier to ignore one's past and pretend it did not happen, it is, however, imperative that one's past is embraced and celebrated. This is the primary purpose of "Unredacted." People need to understand that their past has made them who they are -- good, bad or otherwise. In everything we have done, even what would be considered by others a breach of morality and social mores, there is a lesson that has been learned and a lesson that others might need to hear. This book is a celebration of the author's past. The essays and stories presented herein will instill in others a sense that they are simply humans on a journey in life -- that they should not be ashamed of the experiences they have lived. Those experiences are part of one's life's tapestry. Denying parts of that tapestry will ultimately betray the denier. They potentially will live in fear of their past and become beholden to those that would seek to do harm to them because of it. Those that do harm, in all likelihood, are the very same people that hide behind their facade of indignant shame and cast judgment on others. The main objective of this book is a message to not let that happen. Live your truth. Our life's experiences are nothing to be ashamed of nor should they be hidden from anyone. The purpose of this book is to reinforce in the reader's mind that their past must be embraced and fully accepted as part of who they are. In a movie entitled, "Supernatural" the tagline said, "He who controls the past controls the future." It is a brilliant assessment of how we all need to live our lives. If we do not fully accept our past whence we came, we will never be in control of our futures because a hidden past will potentially keep reaching forward, lurching at us to try to destroy whatever it is we are pursuing. We need to control our futures by openly accepting the hidden past by facing it squarely and firmly without fear or reservation. Our futures are to be forged with our life's purpose in mind. If we allow those who wish to do us harm, or those who do not have our best interests at heart, to influence that forging, we are doomed to wander aimlessly in the barren desert constantly searching for the escape to the oasis of our inner contentment. The failure to realize the inner peace for which we all fervently search will create frustration, anger, and self-doubt. It will plague our existence every waking moment. We need to overcome these feelings and drive forward through our personal storms until our inherent inner consciousness has manifested as our reality. This defines the essence of this book. It is a look back on a journey toward enlightenment and transformation. By reading this book, the author hopes you relate to the very same things contained in it. If you do and if by the casting off what is holding you in your hidden past, helps you move forward, then, by all means, it is worth every consequence of not remaining silent and embracing all that is YOU!