What do you think?
Rate this book
Start Late, Finish Happy: Random Encounters – Unexpected Joy
This book contains stories of inspiration, making mistakes, finding happiness as well as bringing to light anecdotes of deliberate and unexpected kindness. Many times these random encounters have untapped joy for me. It is about everyday life, vulnerability, and our reactions. Ravi Zacharias stated, "None of us escapes life without some ecstasy and heartache." When you see a baby jumping for joy, splashing water during a bath, or smiling from a hug you just gave them, we rarely question their excitement and enjoy the moment of their ebullient happiness.
As adults, I find that we often feel guilty, (or are made to feel guilty) if we express our own joy. God has given each of us so many gifts, so that we can choose to build each other up, to keep these gifts latent, or to bring people to their knees with unkind words. I hope your day is a happy one.
Brené Brown reminds us, “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change." This book is also about what I observe, react to, and reflect on—often in complete awe. I also hope this helps you to see that there is much good in the world. We just have to look around us, and we have the power to make positive, impactful changes in our immediate surroundings and in bigger circles, too. What actions do you take when no one is looking?
Alison McGhee said, "Every moment of every day you can bring people down or you can lift them up—you, one small person—by the energy you project. We choose what we want our lives to mean, and what we want to leave behind. We have the power to write our own stories. Remember that." It is in this spirit that these stories of inspiration are shared.
I feel a bit overwhelmed by people who express that I am "positive." Someone asked me "What are you on?"
I just realize that I have so much time left, people are generally good, some will not like you no matter what you do, and life is just one big sitcom, so laugh a little or laugh a lot.
Also, I have faced my own mortality a few times, and I am continuing to see that many times you and I are, metaphorically speaking, given a bundle of Christmas lights to untangle.
You unravel the lights, plug them into some good power source, and voila, you have some magic before your eyes.
Or, you have a new source of power that you just plugged into, and the lights suddenly short out. Now, you have to find a new way to see the lights again.
I also have witnessed enough horrible and miraculous life experiences that made me strongly consider focusing more on the miraculous.
As adults, I find that we often feel guilty, (or are made to feel guilty) if we express our own joy. God has given each of us so many gifts, so that we can choose to build each other up, to keep these gifts latent, or to bring people to their knees with unkind words. I hope your day is a happy one.
Brené Brown reminds us, “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change." This book is also about what I observe, react to, and reflect on—often in complete awe. I also hope this helps you to see that there is much good in the world. We just have to look around us, and we have the power to make positive, impactful changes in our immediate surroundings and in bigger circles, too. What actions do you take when no one is looking?
Alison McGhee said, "Every moment of every day you can bring people down or you can lift them up—you, one small person—by the energy you project. We choose what we want our lives to mean, and what we want to leave behind. We have the power to write our own stories. Remember that." It is in this spirit that these stories of inspiration are shared.
I feel a bit overwhelmed by people who express that I am "positive." Someone asked me "What are you on?"
I just realize that I have so much time left, people are generally good, some will not like you no matter what you do, and life is just one big sitcom, so laugh a little or laugh a lot.
Also, I have faced my own mortality a few times, and I am continuing to see that many times you and I are, metaphorically speaking, given a bundle of Christmas lights to untangle.
You unravel the lights, plug them into some good power source, and voila, you have some magic before your eyes.
Or, you have a new source of power that you just plugged into, and the lights suddenly short out. Now, you have to find a new way to see the lights again.
I also have witnessed enough horrible and miraculous life experiences that made me strongly consider focusing more on the miraculous.
153 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 15, 2021
11 people are currently reading
3 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 16, 2022
Paul Kotz's winsome vulnerability attracts all sorts of people, including his students. I was drawn to this Minnesotan's stories, like taking his mother for regular eye appointments, like encounters with clerks in various shops, like that winsome encounter with the children in a whirlpool in Dubuque, Iowa.
An encourager extraordinaire, the author deliberately seeks to be kind, to listen and hear, to be more comfortable with the uncomfortable, and to deal with loss, especially since his reflections have been set in these months of dealing with Covid.
At the end are "A Little Extra Motivation" and "Last Advice" which are both lists of wisdom and whimsey, both precursors to happiness.
An encourager extraordinaire, the author deliberately seeks to be kind, to listen and hear, to be more comfortable with the uncomfortable, and to deal with loss, especially since his reflections have been set in these months of dealing with Covid.
At the end are "A Little Extra Motivation" and "Last Advice" which are both lists of wisdom and whimsey, both precursors to happiness.
Displaying 1 of 1 review