Paula Huston does an excellent job of distilling the mountains of information she has culled from a lifetime of searching for a simpler life. This book gives a clear and concise history of those whom most of us admire but have little desire to emulate – the people who have given up the rabid rat race we all run in for a simpler life that is closer to God.
There are many lessons in this book that readers can emulate relatively painlessly, such as turning off the ringer on the phone and letting voice mail pick up, and then there are some lessons that will take far more dedication than the average soul is willing to bear, such as fasting. In today’s “I’m dancing as fast as I can” atmosphere, the idea of forgoing anything approaching pleasure is anathema.
Yet there are fascinating recounts of the service and sacrifice of saints of both the distant (St. Anthony) and not so distant (Gandhi) past. Putting aside the knee-jerk reaction of "yeah, well those guys were really over the top," is vitally important to grasp the concepts that Huston imparts.
This is an eminently readable guide to finding inner peace. Huston does a grand job of imparting lessons she’s learned without ever seeming preachy. Not everyone will be able or even want to take all the lessons to heart, and she’s okay with that. It comes across in the book that she genuinely just wants to help people find their own way without having to search as hard and long as she did.
Anyone anywhere can benefit from finding some quiet solitary time to “listen to the sound of birds wings flapping,” because in today’s society we are all too busy rushing around like the rabbit in Alice in Wonderland. “”I’m late, I’m late. I’m late for a very important date.” Stop for a moment, catch your breath and absorb the calming practices available in The Holy Way. You will be glad you did.