Author: Dr. Andy McCabe
Publisher: Balboa, a division of Hay House. 205 pages
Book Review by Nano Khilnani
The last word in this amazingly insightful novel by psychologist Dr. Andy McCabe is the word namaste that Indians say in greeting each other, while clasping their hands together.
The Sanskrit word namaste does not merely mean “hello.” When someone says this word, it means they are interested in actually knowing you and want to have a conversation with you. It is a means of minimizing one’s ego at that moment and saying to the person you’re seeing that ‘you are important to me.’ and ‘you are my focus now’ at this time.
Hindus clasp their hands together when they are in front of God (shown in numerous forms, each signifying a different value) in a temple or elsewhere. It is a means of paying homage and showing respect.
This book is about the life-transforming story of a frustrated writer named City Bear. When he meets a blind beggar in a New York City subway, he is tested for his concern and caring (or lack thereof) for others. Passing the test with flying colors, so to speak, City Bear is rewarded with a life-changing gift by the beggar, who is called The Gifted One in the book.
Discover what that gift is, and read his story to find out what happens next. This is a book that keeps the story moving fast, and makes you not want to keep the book down or pause to take a break.
Dr. McCabe’s pervasive theme in The Gifted One is that our egos are the principal cause of conflict in the world today – between countries, between ethnic groups and between individuals. Our egos come in the way of our happiness.
Our egos – asserting to others that we are better, healthier, richer, smarter, more holy, etc. than others – is the main reason there is unhappiness in our families, in our finances, in our relationships with others in all aspects of our lives
The book impels us to ask: on international conflicts, why not take the alternate route to begin meaningful dialogue with your enemies, instead of continuing the wars that end in loss of lives and money?
In the political arena, what we’re reminded by the lessons in this book is to ask: why do our leaders constantly blame others for the problems they have inherited or have themselves caused to become bigger? Why not take responsibility and solve those problems?
We learn from the book that it is people’s egos that come in the way of making the right decisions and taking the right actions to solve our problems.
In spite of being recipients of many material benefits, why do many people continue to have anxiety, be depressed or lack fulfillment in their lives? Dr. McCabe reveals to the readers how to change their lives for the better, and gain happiness.
Effecting change in ourselves to become more caring individuals is the critical value I derived from reading this instructive work crafted in the form of a narrative by Dr. McCabe. Changing the world to make it a better place to live in for all of us begins with changing ourselves for the better, instead of blaming others for their shortcomings.
At the end of this book, Dr. McCabe gives readers a forty-day challenge: So, forty days after you’ve read this book, email us at our website – www.andycitybear.com to let us know what you’ve done to transform yourself and, at the same time, our world.
This is the first of a series of three books. The second one will be entitled: The Gifted One: On the Road and the third one: The Gifted One: Going Home.
