| Title | : | A Time To Seek: Meaning, Purpose, and Spirituality at Midlife |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | - |
| Publication | : | Published October 5, 2020 |
As her journey through Italy unfolds, Pohlman shares how travel moments can be used as opportunities for contemplation and spiritual growth. Various settings stir feelings and issues that speak to the concerns and hidden fears of everyday women. A climb to the top of the Duomo in Florence inspires a discussion on faith, the expansive view from the Piazza di Michelangelo broadens perspective, helping her daughter settle into an apartment for a semester abroad raises fears about letting go, and trips on the train become metaphors for life's journeys. A return to the beautiful coastal village of Nervi, the setting of her first book, Halfway to Each Other, prompts deeper introspection about love, marriage and the passing of time. And finally, an evening tour of St. Peter's Basilica provides the insight to take all of the trip's lessons and make sense of them in a way that brings peace and a sense of excitement for the next chapter of life.
A Time To Seek: Meaning, Purpose, and Spirituality at Midlife Reviews
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n A Time to Seek, Susan Pohlman takes her reader on a fascinating stroll through the cobblestone streets of Italy as she seeks and finds a midlife spiritual awakening.
Warmed by her honesty and vulnerability, I was drawn to her story both as a woman past midlife and as a mother who has faced an empty nest. Her message, though unique to her circumstances, carries a powerful universal themr of letting go and redefining one’s self through painful life transitions.
This story is both a travel memoir and a spiritual guide.Pohlman’s writing is rich and lyrical. I was lured in by her stunning descriptions of place and masterful use of metaphor. I could feel her angst and struggles as she sought spiritual clarity in midlife. She shows the reader the transformative powers of facing your greatest fears through painful life transitions to get on the other side and live a fulfilling life.
I highly recommend this engaging , beautifully written spiritual journey throughout Italy and into the heart and soul of a woman who navigates the rocky road of midlife to achieve acceptance, purpose and transformation. -
Susan captures the transition a mother faces from a full house to an empty nest with wonderful insights. Her vulnerability on the page allows the reader to own their experiences, and with grace. Even if we can only travel in our mind, right now, her vivid desciptions of the spiritual places that she seeks implores us to find our own places for reflection. I like how she weaves in verses from the Bible that speak to her search for meaning and purpose in midlife. I'm on my third reading and continue to find nuggets that speak to my mind and heart.
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I enjoyed reading this book, a combination memoir and travelogue. Pohlman was turning fifty and the midlife reality descended upon her. She would soon be dealing with an empty nest too. Her husband gave her a trip to Florence. Such a trip had been instrumental in healing their marriage. This trip would give her a time of renewal and the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of her life and God's purposes for her.
Pohlman has an engaging style of writing. I like the life lessons she gleaned from the places she visited. I liked her insights on art, making me think of taking an art history class. I liked her times of reminiscing and her pondering the upheaval in her carefully constructed life. She was able to understand her self and where her life was going, charting a new course.
As Pohlman writes, midlife is the time to raise your hand and stand, to take a chance at something. “...I must look with new eyes, listen with new ears, and follow the voice that calls to me from within.” (Loc 871/2105)
This is a good memoir for those facing the uncertainties of midlife. You'll find much to encourage you on your journey to understand your life and where God may be leading you.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the author. My comments are an independent and honest review. -
A Time to Seek by Susan Pohlman is an honest, spiritual seeking. Filled with familiar, funny yet touching text messages and dialogue between parent and teens, this book resonates easily and honestly with mothers in mid-life. Pohlman takes us on her lovely journey through Italy as she reminisces and seeks new meanings in ancient places; but more importantly, she takes us on her inner journey of heart and soul. She encourages all of us to seek our own cathedrals within ourselves, and to let God lead us to finishing the masterpieces that we are. This book is a balm for all mid-life women. Take the journey!
Who Would Enjoy This Book: A Time to Seek will appeal to women of a certain age who are struggling with their changing parenting role as their kids age into adulthood.
Our Christian Book Reviews: The book reviews at Finding God Among Us focus on Christian books – adult and children, fiction and nonfiction. Our specialty is books on faith and new Christian book releases. We’re proud to be included in the Top 50 Christian Book Review Bloggers. Our publisher partners include New Growth Press, Shadow Mountain Publishing, and Revell and BakerBooks, divisions of Baker Publishing Group. I chose to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This review was written by reviewer Mary Laing. -
I just spent another delightful weekend in Italy with Susan Pohlman. As a fellow- middle-aged woman who hasn't been to Italy since I was Katie's age, it was perfect to be able to see it again through both women's eyes, in a way. Susan's reflections on life passages, friendship, and art tugged on my heartstrings and kept me reading. Waltzing tones of color and mouthwatering descriptions of food (though not nearly enough Gelato!) and laughter with an old friend were particularly fun to read. The real substance of this wonderful journey, for me, were Susan's ponderings on faith, and aging, and the emotions evoked looking at the very finest of sculpture, and the grace of strangers.
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A combination spiritual/travel memoir of a mom working to come to terms with her emptying nest. With the excuse of accompanying her college-age daughter to Florence to help her get settled for a semester abroad, Pohlman spends a week or so traveling the area alone: contemplating in cathedrals, chapels, and cemeteries; detouring to art museums; pondering her next steps and how her family relationships have changed. There are more questions than answers, but it's a relatable memoir for moms in midlife.
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This beautifully written book is one that you come back to time and time again, which is what I'm doing this summer. I originally read "A Time To Seek" earlier in the year, while I found myself on the cusp of the next phase in my own life. Although I'm not faced with any empty nest, I'm on my own "aging" journey and experiencing the drastic changes brought on by midlife. I found both comfort and inspiration in the personal stories so eloquently shared in Pohlman's journey of her outer and inner worlds, with Italy as the backdrop. It's true, sacred journeys are the ones we remember all of our lives.
