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Amazing
recovery from serious Injury leads to hope and help for others in need
She
discovered that losing her mind meant finding
so much more in the end
In
the autumn of 1999,
PJ Long was thrown from a horse and landed on her head. Seemingly
uninjured, she tried to go on with her busy life as a psychotherapist,
consultant, mother of two, doctor’s wife, and active community member. But
within days, she had become a stranger to herself—unable to read, carry on a
conversation, or help with third grade homework. She felt as if her body were
a shell, with no one inside.
After
months of waiting
for her symptoms
to heal, Long learned that she had incurred a
permanent disabling brain injury. She could never return to her
former life. Everything would change: her relationships, her career, and her
understanding of the world and her place in it.
To
help regain some
of her cognitive abilities, Long began to painstakingly record her
observations on family life, her gardens, animals, and the nature surrounding
her Vermont home. As she wrote, she came to understand that “the everyday
things do make up a life, and they matter.” Her new, “simple” mind—no
longer cluttered with the details that fill our hurried days—brought forth
with startling clarity some
basic truths to guide her: Take all the time you need; the healing
continues no matter what. You can be happy without being perfect. Unexpected
joys await us each day.
Long’s reflections and insights “come
through with unparalleled power and honesty.” (Midwest
Book Review) With nearly 1,000 copies sold even before its publication
date, Gifts from the Broken Jar already has become a cherished
companion both for readers experiencing hardships or transitions in their own
lives—illness, divorce, aging, the death of a loved one—and for others
drawn to Long’s evocative writing and stunning insight.
For more information visit http://www.equipress.com
Gifts
from the Broken Jar:
Rediscovering
Hope, Beauty, and Joy
by PJ Long
EquiLibrium Press
Publication
date: January 2005
Price:
$19.95 ISBN: 0966739396