Small volume with big wisdom
IT’S NOT A BIG THING IN LIFE – STRATEGIES FOR COPING – CONSIDERATIONS FOR MY ADULT GRANDCHILDREN Arnie Witkin
Angel Glow Press
Review: Beryl Eichenberger
IF, LIKE ME, you have kept Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff and Tuesdays with Morrie on your bookshelf, then Arnie Witkin’s It’s Not a Big Thing In Life will be a welcome addition to these marvellously practical books.
Witkin is what one would call a “wise elder”, a pioneer in the investment industry and now, as a 77-yearold retiree he is a speech writer, public speaking coach and executive mentor and coach.
In this slim volume, which is as much a memoir as a wise guide, he covers more than 65 topics for coping with those life challenges. While targeted at a younger generation, it is still so apt for any age and is a book that can be dipped into when the need arises.
Witkin has a life he can be proud of but it has not been without its ups and downs. How he has negotiated the highs and lows is the journey he takes us on and by using the simple act of not sitting back and taking it all for granted, he has analysed, explored and noted (he is a great notetaker) his experiences. He focuses.
This puts him on another level and, while simply written, it is like having a wise grandfather who listens, empathises and then offers a “consideration”. He hesitates to call it advice; it is something to be thought through, either taken on or discarded, but it is the recipient’s responsibility to do that.
Witkin negotiates the reader through the many emotions we have to deal with. Like dealing with disappointment: “It’s all about acknowledging your feelings, which are real, accepting them and then negotiating with them so that you can get on with life effectively. If you can’t negotiate with your feelings, you may stay disappointed for a very long time.”
I was reminded here of a lesson I learnt from a book many years ago – that we choose the way we react to whatever comes our way and that choice can be negative or positive. The key is to change the way we think and in so doing take charge of our emotions. (Your Erroneous Zones, by Dr Wayne M Dyer, 1976)
Another art that is sorely lacking in this busy age is listening, and without question it is this skill that Witkin has honed, thus refining his understanding of human nature.
He dares to go into more delicate subjects, like relationships and sex and money, but his common sense approach is intelligent, accessible and practical.
On taking risks: “What have I got to lose? What’s the worst thing that could happen if I take this action?” Perhaps we’ve heard it all before, but Witkin brings hindsight and experience together in a book that never preaches and always informs.
He lightly peppers the pages with apt quotes and stories from the likes of Kahlil Gibran, Maya Angelou, Nelson Mandela, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks and many more. He adds the quirky Dov Fedler illustrations – there’s a story there – and West Indian cricketer Michael Holding writes a warm foreword that underlines Witkin’s love of cricket and what he has learnt from that sport.
Witkin’s gentle pen approaches every subject succinctly, bringing lasting meaning. He shows that being resilient is a key to overcoming adversity, that wherever we start from, we are responsible for our own lives, to recognise what is really important to us, to move on and face forward and that being kind will bring untold joy.
A small volume with big wisdom to keep close to you at all times.