Comments on: Finally! Our brand-new blog! http://www.chestnuthillinstitute.com/blog/17 w h e n y o u ' r e r e a d y t o m a k e r e a l c h a n g e s Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:11:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Teri http://www.chestnuthillinstitute.com/blog/17#comment-240 Teri Sat, 01 Dec 2007 22:37:08 +0000 http://www.chestnuthillinstitute.com/blog/17#comment-240 I can't afford your book so I am reading it bit by bit at the library. I am still struggling with the fact that according to you, the things in my life have happened for a reason. I had a bad childhood, I lost both of my parents young. In fact, I was my mother's main caretaker for several years while I was holding down a full time job in my early 20's. I have lost several good jobs due to "downsizing", I lost most of my possessions in a flood, I have struggled with a mental illness and lost friends and family because they couldn't handle my diagnosis, I have become homeless but am now living in a welfare motel, I have no money, and now the government is taking their sweet time with approving my disability money. I can find the reason why! I am very frustrated and afraid that there is more "stuff" to come. How much more can one person take and yet feel secure in the fact that "everything happens for a reason"? Thank you. I can’t afford your book so I am reading it bit by bit at the library. I am still struggling with the fact that according to you, the things in my life have happened for a reason. I had a bad childhood, I lost both of my parents young. In fact, I was my mother’s main caretaker for several years while I was holding down a full time job in my early 20’s. I have lost several good jobs due to “downsizing”, I lost most of my possessions in a flood, I have struggled with a mental illness and lost friends and family because they couldn’t handle my diagnosis, I have become homeless but am now living in a welfare motel, I have no money, and now the government is taking their sweet time with approving my disability money.

I can find the reason why! I am very frustrated and afraid that there is more “stuff” to come. How much more can one person take and yet feel secure in the fact that “everything happens for a reason”?

Thank you.

]]> By: Matthew http://www.chestnuthillinstitute.com/blog/17#comment-215 Matthew Tue, 27 Nov 2007 15:09:49 +0000 http://www.chestnuthillinstitute.com/blog/17#comment-215 What do you do when the answers to the questions you have answered change in too good to leave to bad to stay. Feelings change people change perception all change with time. When I read the book I had already broken up with my girlfriend. I mean we were in a serious long term relationship in college it was my last year and I just wanted to have fun being single for a change. So I read the book because I felt confused about what I wanted to do and test out verses if my feelings were and indicator of deep down feeling things that really meant that the break up should be permanent and if I could be better off if I stopped thinking about the relationship all together and moved on. To most of the questions I could give both yes or no answers at the same time as I was reading. I was pursuing a lifestyle that excluded her and let me have fun but when I decided to do it it was because deep down I knew I could win her back when I got college exploration out the way(#3). It was important to me that I be able to have some college fun without having to answer to anyone later and I was regretting not getting it which was why I broke up with her but after I was finished I regretted what I giving our relationship up to have it(#31). When I left leaving was more attractive than staying because leaving wasn't hard to do or something that I had to face everyday(33/32.) We had a difference that was shaping the quality of life the way I experienced it but it wasn't a permanent lifestyle choice. All the problems that we had really didn't affect me deciding that it was best to break up permanently or not (#36). What does it mean when leaving a diagnosed to bad to stay relationship in that is making you miserable that you left over a year later? What do you do when the answers to the questions you have answered change in too good to leave to bad to stay. Feelings change people change perception all change with time. When I read the book I had already broken up with my girlfriend. I mean we were in a serious long term relationship in college it was my last year and I just wanted to have fun being single for a change. So I read the book because I felt confused about what I wanted to do and test out verses if my feelings were and indicator of deep down feeling things that really meant that the break up should be permanent and if I could be better off if I stopped thinking about the relationship all together and moved on. To most of the questions I could give both yes or no answers at the same time as I was reading. I was pursuing a lifestyle that excluded her and let me have fun but when I decided to do it it was because deep down I knew I could win her back when I got college exploration out the way(#3). It was important to me that I be able to have some college fun without having to answer to anyone later and I was regretting not getting it which was why I broke up with her but after I was finished I regretted what I giving our relationship up to have it(#31). When I left leaving was more attractive than staying because leaving wasn’t hard to do or something that I had to face everyday(33/32.) We had a difference that was shaping the quality of life the way I experienced it but it wasn’t a permanent lifestyle choice. All the problems that we had really didn’t affect me deciding that it was best to break up permanently or not (#36). What does it mean when leaving a diagnosed to bad to stay relationship in that is making you miserable that you left over a year later?

]]> By: Mira http://www.chestnuthillinstitute.com/blog/17#comment-5 Mira Mon, 08 Oct 2007 21:32:25 +0000 http://www.chestnuthillinstitute.com/blog/17#comment-5 Hi Catherine– Thank you so much for your heart-felt and inspiring letter. You are the reason I wrote Everything Happens for a Reason and my other books and why I work the way I do. I am so glad you and your father found real meaning in those difficult circumstances. You prove that it can be done, because the true meanings are there all along, waiting for us to discover them. And when we do find the meaning it makes a huge difference in our lives, as it did in yours. Please keep visiting our brand-new blog and please write or comment whenever you feel you have something to say. Thanks again. You are very special. Warmly, Mira Hi Catherine–
Thank you so much for your heart-felt and inspiring letter. You are the reason I wrote Everything Happens for a Reason and my other books and why I work the way I do.
I am so glad you and your father found real meaning in those difficult circumstances. You prove that it can be done, because the true meanings are there all along, waiting for us to discover them. And when we do find the meaning it makes a huge difference in our lives, as it did in yours.
Please keep visiting our brand-new blog and please write or comment whenever you feel you have something to say.
Thanks again. You are very special.
Warmly,
Mira

]]> By: Catherine van der Dussen http://www.chestnuthillinstitute.com/blog/17#comment-3 Catherine van der Dussen Mon, 08 Oct 2007 18:17:43 +0000 http://www.chestnuthillinstitute.com/blog/17#comment-3 Dear M. Kirchenbaum, Dear Mira, I'm a Belgian , 23 year old girl/woman, it's difficult to say when you're 23 :) I received your book from my best friend after my father's death. As my best friend was my father's doctor, he also had a really close relationship with him, they were more friends rather than patient and doctor. When I was young, I rarely saw my father, he had his own business and left early in the morning before I was up and came home, long after I was already in bed. Then one day, he got really ill, after months of tests, they diagnosed terminal cancer. In the hospital, they told him he had only (maximum) 3 years to go... My father had difficulties in coping that he had cancer, because, why does anyone gets cancer?! I think you know what I mean... But the fact that he got worse in a really short time, made my father realise that he missed a large part of his daughters growing up as he was never at home. As he has always been really optimistical, he tried to see the other side of his disease and realised this was the perfect moment to get to know his daughters, to spend time with us and finally living the fact that we were growing up. This optimistical side in him made him set his own goals. He wanted to live my 18th birthday (I'm the youngest of 3girls, I was 8 when they diagnosed the cancer) And even if they only gave him max.3years;, he lived my 18th birthday. His other goal was to see me graduate, and some years later, when I was 21, I graduated as an engineer in electronics at university. He was never more proud then that day, which also made me proud of what I acheived. Myself, I've learned through the cancer of my father, to appreciate life in general. I never wanted to be someone other people wanted me to be, but my father's illness made me actually DO this. Today I'm feeling "at home" in what I do, briefly: I feel at home in my life. And maye that is the most important thing my father could teach me! Maybe it is because of the illness of my father or maybe because of other reasons, but we were (and still are) a very close family. My parents, my 2sisters and me were really close. I had a very close relationship with my father of which many people are jealous at! Even today friends still tell me, it looks like my father really was my soulmate. Also very often friends which came to visit, told us that our home is really a home. A place where you feel comfortable and at ease. So yes, everything happens for a reason! And once you've found that reason, the things you've lived through only made you stronger! Nietzsche once said: "Was mich nicht ümbringt, macht mich stärker." (What doesn't kill me, makes me stronger.) I think it 's something like that... Unfortunately( ?!) we all have to pass several phases in life and my father killed himself earlier this year, but one way or another I'm happy. I know this sounds bizar, but I am. I do miss him, but he deserved some rest and peace! He acheived his goals and astonhished every doctor in trying to beat this horrible cancer up to almost 15 years instead of 3! He thought us very important things in life and the burdon of his disease became to heavy to bare... I hope he has finally found the peace he deserves! Kind regards and hoping you will all find your reasons one day... Catherine Dear M. Kirchenbaum,
Dear Mira,

I’m a Belgian , 23 year old girl/woman, it’s difficult to say when you’re 23 :)

I received your book from my best friend after my father’s death.
As my best friend was my father’s doctor, he also had a really close relationship with him, they were more friends rather than patient and doctor.

When I was young, I rarely saw my father, he had his own business and left early in the morning before I was up and came home, long after I was already in bed.
Then one day, he got really ill, after months of tests, they diagnosed terminal cancer.
In the hospital, they told him he had only (maximum) 3 years to go…

My father had difficulties in coping that he had cancer, because, why does anyone gets cancer?! I think you know what I mean…

But the fact that he got worse in a really short time, made my father realise that he missed a large part of his daughters growing up as he was never at home.

As he has always been really optimistical, he tried to see the other side of his disease and realised this was the perfect moment to get to know his daughters, to spend time with us and finally living the fact that we were growing up.

This optimistical side in him made him set his own goals. He wanted to live my 18th birthday (I’m the youngest of 3girls, I was 8 when they diagnosed the cancer)
And even if they only gave him max.3years;, he lived my 18th birthday.
His other goal was to see me graduate, and some years later, when I was 21, I graduated as an engineer in electronics at university. He was never more proud then that day, which also made me proud of what I acheived.

Myself, I’ve learned through the cancer of my father, to appreciate life in general.
I never wanted to be someone other people wanted me to be,
but my father’s illness made me actually DO this.
Today I’m feeling “at home” in what I do, briefly: I feel at home in my life.
And maye that is the most important thing my father could teach me!

Maybe it is because of the illness of my father or maybe because of other reasons,
but we were (and still are) a very close family.
My parents, my 2sisters and me were really close.
I had a very close relationship with my father of which many people are jealous at!
Even today friends still tell me, it looks like my father really was my soulmate.
Also very often friends which came to visit, told us that our home is really a home.
A place where you feel comfortable and at ease.

So yes, everything happens for a reason! And once you’ve found that reason,
the things you’ve lived through only made you stronger!
Nietzsche once said: “Was mich nicht ümbringt, macht mich stärker.”
(What doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger.)
I think it ’s something like that…

Unfortunately( ?!) we all have to pass several phases in life and my father killed himself earlier this year, but one way or another I’m happy. I know this sounds bizar, but I am.
I do miss him, but he deserved some rest and peace!

He acheived his goals and astonhished every doctor in trying to beat this horrible cancer up to almost 15 years instead of 3!
He thought us very important things in life
and the burdon of his disease became to heavy to bare…
I hope he has finally found the peace he deserves!

Kind regards and hoping you will all find your reasons one day…
Catherine

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