Talent for Humanity: Stories of Creativity, Compassion and Courage to Inspire You on Your Journey Paperback – April 21, 2015

A very welcome corrective for the doom and gloom stories we see on our news every day. Real stories, real life heroes, inspiring all.

Talent For Humanity is edited and introduced by Patrick Gaffney and foreword is written by Thierry Sanchez.This book presents the stories of people, who have had and are still having a great impact on their fellow humans. Readers learn about their individual paths or journeys of enlightenment and their discovery of self.My Seven Voyages by RezaHis voyages into the Persian culture and how deeply he has been influenced by the words and poetry of said culture. He explains how he came to understand the true meaning of injustice and his road leads to a crossroads. Making the choice between two roads `one of inaction and renunciation or the exposure and denunciation of injustice.'His path leads him right into the open arms of the Shah's secret police. Reza mentions the months of torture almost in passing, as if it is a mere blip on his radar. His letter to humanity speaks of the tool with which he chooses to communicate the pain, turmoil and journeys of his fellow humans.Making the World a Better Place Through the Arts by Sherry & Bob JasonMany decades ago Sherry and Bob Jason `created a non-profit organization called City Hearts, which is dedicated to bringing the arts to underprivileged children.Giving them the opportunity to experience creative arts in a way they would possibly never have the chance to. `Our goal was to show these children that there were other choices they could make - positive ones.' Their letter to humanity speaks of helping young people to find their path and putting their talents to work.In the UK both the Primary and Secondary Schools always try to introduce a steady flow of the creative arts, especially to children in low socio-economic areas, because realistically they will never get to experience them in their home life. It does give them a new perspective and opens their eyes to a whole new world of possibilities.Rise! by Aliza HavaAliza's experience with injustice was on a personal level and started very early on in her life. When she discovered music she realised the career she wanted to embark upon.She had a profound experience after reading a specific book, which changed the way she understood and embraced what she calls `God consciousness.' Her letter to humanity speaks of her deep connection to her faith and her hope that others will find inspiration in her experience and words.In My Own Voice by Deeyah KhanDeeyah uses the phrase `music is my home and my exile' to describe a doorway into her special place. Perhaps a doorway she needed, because she grew up as an outsider. I understand completely how she experienced growing up as a foreigner, outsider or as someone, who is perceived as different from the majority. Her passion to have a voice puts her life in physical danger, despite that Deeyah decides to give a voice to others.She specifically sheds a light on the topic of honour killings that take place even when the victims live in countries, where it is clearly deemed a crime. Deeyah set up Sisterhoodnetwork.org to empower young Muslim women. Her letter to humanity is actually a very heartfelt appeal to one of these victims, an apology of sorts, because society is still not doing enough to protect them.Connecting the Dots by Yarrow KranerSpending a significant time of his life bearing the brunt of the `anger and resentment against white people' on a Native American reservation. He uses his negative experiences to empower others.`Superheroes aren't simply the characters we see on the big screen.' His letter to humanity speaks about the ability to envision and believe.On Tastes, the Journey and Clowning by Daniele finzi PascaI want to start Daniele's segment with his poignant words `In the very early morning, we would pick up the bodies of those who had died during the night.' His letter to humanity speaks about fear being so controlling that it traps us in a corner. Making use of the talents we carry in our hearts.Putting Our Heart into The World by Patrick GaffneyPatrick asks important questions, `why is it so difficult for us to think and act out of altruism and not out of self-interest.' It describes how humans in general tend to fixate on themselves. Selfish rather than selfless. How we can improve our own self-worth, morale and positive feelings if we volunteer and help others. His letter to humanity is to leave a blank page for the reader so they can write your own Letter to Humanity.A common thread within the people in these stories is being an outsider and/or a minority in the midst of a majority. In the introduction Gaffney points out that this isn't supposed to be a self-help book. Instead it is a way of honouring men and women, who have dedicated their lives to helping others. Paying tribute in form of a book.I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley.

Talent for Humanity: Stories of Creativity, Compassion and Courage to Inspire You on Your Journey is an awe-inspiring account of the extraordinary care and compassion human beings are capable of showing each other. It is a reminder that, despite being wonderfully unique individuals, we are all the same; we feel the same love, share the same desires, and deserve the same compassion and opportunities for happiness. As the author, Patrick Gaffney, points out “We all have the capacity to transform ourselves, change the world, and inspire others.”Talent for Humanity serves as a pillar of inspiration for everyone who is in search of their purpose in life; everyone seeking “something more.” Discovering the people highlighted in this book is like discovering a light within yourself that you didn’t know you had. It makes you feel empowered and capable of making a splash in the world just by acknowledging the things that make you special. If we all set the intention to ‘pay it forward’ by shining a little light on all the places where there isn’t any, the world we live in will become a much brighter and more compassionate place.Patrick Gaffney has created something really special with this text. He has taken action to put inspiration in the hands of limitless amounts of people. He has passed the torch for helping humanity by sharing stories about the incredible things we are all gifted enough to accomplish. If you really want to know what you are going to get out of this reading, consider Gaffney’s own explanation: “This is a book about passion and creativity, about friendship and kindness, determination and, as we will see, focused and undistracted attention. It is a book about compassion, because everyone in it has been driven by a compelling desire to alleviate suffering, along with it’s causes. It is a book about courage and resilience…”You cannot help but feel admiration for the 7 souls introduced in Talent for Humanity. Each of these individuals has taken their God-given talents and turned them into a tool for serving mankind. Reza, for example, grew up in the midst of the Iranian Revolution. Even from a young age he had a deep curiosity and passion for literature and photography. While attending University, Reza was single handedly responsible for creating and running a small on campus library for his fellow students. His photography was also given a creative outlet in the form of a small newsletter Reza published highlighting some of the turmoil occurring within the community at that time. This seemly harmless newsletter ended up landing Reza in jail for several years because it was interpreted as a threat to government policy. Once released from prison, Reza was forced to live in exile in France to escape harassment from government officials. He never let fear deter him from his mission, to share his photos with a world who needed to see them; to tell the stories of the people in his photos; and to show how delicate and valuable our lives are.Another story that genuinely struck a chord within my heart was that of Aliza Hava. Aliza is a singer, songwriter and peacemaker. Her natural musical talents and spiritual path have led her to create a worldwide program for tolerance, understanding and peaceful coexistence. Using the universal language of music, Aliza has organized massive concerts across the globe to promote healing and acceptance.This is just a small sample of the kind of light that shines from within this book.Talent for Humanity is so much more than just a feel-good call for self-improvement. It has managed to capture the essence of what it means to be a human being and what it feels like to realize how powerful Love is. Changing the world begins with one small act of kindness and Patrick Gaffney has offered us 7 beautiful examples of positive change in motion. EVERYONE needs to read this book. Once you get your hands on a copy, be sure to pay it forward and share it with someone you care about.Additional reviews at http://www.readingonrepeat.com

”This isn't a quick-tips-start-tomorrow kind of book as the concepts are sometimes intricate, and you'll want to study this book carefully, not skim it. When you finish, you'll probably have Post-it notes or hand-written annotations in every chapter so be prepared ! The six stories take you on a reading adventure that explores and identifies how we can inspire and ignite the fire in others around us with compassionate creativity.The book provides words and experiences though on how to realize what does matter to you, what is important long term and how you can find the courage to grow. Definitely a must read and thought provoker as it helps you peel back layers in a creative way. I felt like I was right there in every story as it is written beautifully and has the ability to take tough topics and make them real, applicable as well as truly heart-felt.“Talent for Humanity : Stories of Creativity, Compassion and Courage to Inspire You on Your Journey” answers so many questions about how to implement the strategies for living whole heartedly as I loved everything about this book and highly recommend it to all who look for more meaningful ways of giving and living.”

Talent for Humanity book starts with this phrase: "We are all born with the power to imagine what does not yet exist. What if we used this power to create the world we all dream of living in--for ourselves and for others?" . I believe that we have this power in all of us, and the book stories are there to prove it.This book might not change your life but it will certainly give you the courage to start pursuing your own journey. I was deeply moved by the stories I read, and also by the conclusion written by Patrick Gaffney. It is beautifully written and very moving.It is definitely a highly inspirational book, and not a traditional self-help one as Patrick Gaffney had mentioned "This book is neither another self-help book, nor a set of moral directives about what anyone is supposed to think, believe or put into action. Far from it." It's an invitation to never stop imagining, and to join a conspiracy of compassionate action, and to sign up to a lineage of kindness that we can pass on forever.They have found a creative way of involving the reader by offering him or her to write the final story: "A few pages at the end of the book are left blank. The final story, if you accept, can be yours... How would you put into words your wishes for the world and your aspirations to do something to bring change? Now imagine a million new friends just waiting to hear from you!"I recommend it to anyone who has a heart that carries love, creativity and compassion. Let's never stop imagining!

Talent for Humanity book starts with this phrase: "We are all born with the power to imagine what does not yet exist. What if we used this power to create the world we all dream of living in'for ourselves and for others?" . I believe that we have this power in all of us, and the book stories are there to prove it.This book might not change your life but it will certainly give you the courage to start pursuing your own journey. I was deeply moved by the stories I read, and also by the conclusion written by Patrick Gaffney. It is beautifully written and very moving.It is definitely a highly inspirational book, and not a traditional self-help one as Patrick Gaffney had mentioned "This book is neither another self-help book, nor a set of moral directives about what anyone is supposed to think, believe or put into action. Far from it.' It's an invitation to never stop imagining, and to join a conspiracy of compassionate action, and to sign up to a lineage of kindness that we can pass on forever.They have found a creative way of involving the reader by offering him or her to write the final story: 'A few pages at the end of the book are left blank. The final story, if you accept, can be yours' How would you put into words your wishes for the world and your aspirations to do something to bring change? Now imagine a million new friends just waiting to hear from you!"I recommend it to anyone who has a heart that carries love, creativity and compassion. Let's never stop imagining!