The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck

“Life is difficult.” This is the famous first line of this book. That might discourage you to read the rest because it seems like a very bleak statement. This dismal start was probably the reason why I couldn’t sustain this reading this book in several previous attempts. But I decided that this time, I will finish it. So I did. It’s all a matter of willpower. :)

The Road Less Traveled is the road to spiritual growth. Few people take this road as they go through life because it’s painful. Painful because life maps are challenged, relationships are changed (sometimes severed), and it takes a lot of serious thinking or self-examination.

The fuel that propels people towards spiritual growth is LOVE. Peck defines love as the “will to extend one’s self for the purpose of nurturing one’s own or another’s spiritual growth. Major factors that deter from loving are fear and laziness. It really simplifies the choice: being loving or being lazy, being loving or being fearful. Love is work and courage.

The author also shares several cases where he was successful and where he failed to help his clients through psychoanalysis. This book opened my eyes to this practice and how it can help given the right time, process and counselor.

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