Why are we here? It’s a question that gets asked at some point by nearly everyone. Of course, while some may claim to have found the answer, the vast majority of us spend our lives in a desperate search for purpose and clarity. EACH PASSING MOMENT: The Path To Yourself: How to Find Peace, Meaning, and Fulfillment, by Theador Vik Andreas, is a thoughtful exploration of one man’s long and winding journey to find himself.
At first glance, one might be tempted to dismiss EACH PASSING MOMENT as yet another self-help book aimed at helping readers live their best life, but what Andreas has put together here is anything but run-of-the-mill. The author’s story begins in his early thirties, where, by all accounts, he was living the proverbial dream. Still, despite the well-paying job, solid relationship, and a large social circle, Andreas felt anything but complete. A nagging sense of dissatisfaction shadowed his every waking moment. And then, at a time when he needed her the most, his mother passed.
It’s this tragedy that ultimately sets Andreas off on his open-ended journey to find some semblance of happiness. He started by surveying a group of friends and acquaintances, asking them what they wanted out of life. As it turned out, Andreas was not alone in his belief that the key to a happy life was a nice car, big house, and lots of money. The responses he received were essentially variations of his own cliched definition, leading to the sobering realization that nearly all of us are “prisoners of the same trap.”
From there, Andreas dives deep into himself, cataloging his exploration of the human condition and the way modern life has shaped our ideas and perspectives on life and success. Citing his own career, he takes aim at the intense pressures generated by a ‘win at all costs’ culture and the way it creates an illusion of happiness. But the glue that holds this whole thing together is Andreas himself–from his upbringing and relationships to his hopes, dreams, and fears, his personal story is one that the vast majority of readers will be able to identify with.
While Andreas’ narrative is thoughtful, well-written, and insightful from cover to cover, the real takeaway here are the subtle pearls of wisdom lying in wait on nearly every page. Be it coping with loss, reassessing faith, reckoning with mortality, or simply learning the value of surrender, EACH PASSING MOMENT efficiently conveys an enormous amount of wisdom. Each and every anecdote carries with it the weight of experience–Andreas isn’t just a well-read writer; he’s a well-lived man. And therein lies the true success of this novel—the personal touch that permeates this text essentially elevates EACH PASSING MOMENT from ‘self-help’ territory to a compelling biography that just so happens to contain a wealth of inspiration.
The rare example of a ‘self-help’ book that never overstays its welcome, EACH PASSING MOMENT begins as an understated examination of an existential crisis but evolves into a compelling and thoughtful life-affirming guide to breaking through the limitations of modern living.
~James Weiskittel for IndieReader