Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
Author Cassie Jeans and co-host Miranda Sophia invite you to a Wednesday-night celebration of the power of letting go that can be so healing for a woman.
The Coffee Public coffee house in downtown Port Hope is the scene of the event where, from 6 to 8 p.m., Jeans will preside over the launch of her book Her Art of Surrender: A Collection of Stories About Letting Go of the Past and Embracing the Soul.
Jeans has her own story to tell in the book, along with that of 19 other women that she has interviewed from around the world. And through the power of the internet to make these conversations possible, she has found it to be a universal truth that letting go can be the first step on the road to embracing your soul.
The young Port Hope resident previously had been asked to share her story for another book, but felt the time wasn’t right. As more time passed, she not only felt more empowered to tell her story but realized she wanted to write it as well.
“The word ‘surrender’ really sounded loud in my head,” she reported.
“I am very spiritual. Things just come to me. If they feel right, I will act upon them.”
“The question came – how do we let go when we are attached? How do we let go when we are hurting? How do we stop holding on to the past?”
By that time, she had made her own peace with things she didn’t like about herself, with mistakes she had made, with not knowing what tomorrow would hold. By sharing, she hoped to strengthen her own self-confidence and to help other women find theirs in spite of mistakes and wrong turns they have taken.
Perhaps no woman has been fortunate enough to avoid them, Jeans said.
“Painful stuff like divorce, health crises,” she listed.
“Motherhood – recognizing all the layers of an unpredictable path.”
“Love, and what it means to actually find a love that’s not a fantasy love but one that stands the test of time.”
“Career paths – should I end up spending 20 years of my life going after something I don’t want or let it go?”
“Addiction. Abuse.”
“Honouring ourselves – self-worth, self-esteem, self-confidence.”
“We covered a lot of topics that are tough to talk about But if we don’t talk about them, we isolate ourselves. And when we isolate ourselves, we don’t heal.”
One key piece to the puzzle was the right publishing company, and she believes Golden Brick Road Publishing of Ottawa fills the bill. They will look at properties that may not be mainstream, and are also set up to market the book in retail and on-line outlets.
“The larger publishing industry would look at stories like mine and the other 19 and say, ‘These are great, but we won’t make any money off it’ – even though it’s the truth, even though it’s beautifully put together and touches people’s lives.
“Now these women have had the opportunity to put something together that matters. They’re not sensational stories that will make few bucks, but a way to let other women find themselves in their words and realize their story is just like their neighbour’s, just like their mother’s.”
Jeans and Sophia are looking forward to a real celebration Wednesday night, and hope to share it with you at the coffee house on Walton Street in Port Hope.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
