Persevering for Peace: A Guide to Finding the Light in the Darkest of Times

Persevering for Peace

A Guide to Finding the Light in the Darkest of Times

Jamie Lynn Sokoloff

Persevering for Peace

Copyright © 2020 by Jamie Lynn Sokoloff

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Tellwell Talent

www.tellwell.ca

ISBN

978-0-2288-3923-1 (Paperback)

978-0-2288-3924-8 (eBook)

To my dad, Rick Sokoloff, who

left this earth way too soon.

May you rest in paradise.

I will make you proud.

Two percent of every book sale will go to Rick’s Run, an event organization, founded by Jamie Sokoloff, that supports various charities throughout Canada in honour of Rick Sokoloff.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - Who Am I

Chapter 2 - The Day My Life Came Crashing Down

Chapter 3 - Why Should You Care About My Life?

Chapter 4 - A Love Story

Chapter 5 - My Dad and His Wisdom

Chapter 6 - True Colours

Chapter 7 - How to Live Again

Chapter 8 - Self Reflection Journal Prompts

Chapter 9 - A Toast to Dad

per·se·vere

to continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success. – www.dictionary.com

After everything this year has thrown your family this year, you should write a book.

After hearing this for the 10th time, I decided to give it a try. What started off as a therapeutic exercise for me, turned into something far more beautiful than I ever imagined. I hope my healing journey through my year of grief, stress and heartache, brings you peace and inspires you to find the light in life. Life is full of horrible events, but we must find the light in order to carry on. We must get through tough times and learn to thrive through the pain.

Chapter 1

Who Am I

These are the questions I am constantly asking myself: Who am I?, Why am I here? The response to this is constantly changing but as of now, I am Jamie; I am currently twenty -s even years old and on the path of finding my purpose in life. Throughout my life, I have always been a nature lover and loved being outdoors whether it be lounging on the beach, hiking mountains, or going for walks. I love to be in nature; it is where I truly am my happiest and most connected to the earth. I love yoga, running, and experiencing new things. I am constantly changing, evolving, and growing. Every day is a new day and my constant desire for new experiences grows rap idly.

I have always had a passion of helping people and wanting to make a difference. After high school, I studied social work and gained over six-hundred hours of experience with children with Autism. I LOVED this. I loved seeing how differently those with Autism think and, honestly, some of the most amazing people that I have met in my life, were on the spectrum. After college, I was given a great opportunity at my dad’s company as an education director and then took on the human resources role as well.

Although I was no longer directly helping others, I did do other humanitarian acts. Every winter (to this day), I organize a clothing drive, collecting warm clothing donations and distributing these items to the homeless on the streets of Toronto. I have an amazing group of people who have jumped on board with this project every year. I have always found joy in helping others and have always loved organizing fundraisers. I have tried my best to be a good person and give back to the universe for the amazing life I have been given. I am not saying I do not have flaws, because I have a lot of them, but I am saying that I am trying to do better and help others who have not had the same privileges that I have had.

I am a born animal lover (and a new vegan!). I have two miniature dachshunds; Jax and Louie, a hedgehog named Holly, and a Tabby cat named Leo. I am working on getting a pig but have not won that battle yet with my boyfriend.

I have been with my boyfriend Jesse for six years. We have recently purchased our first home. We have gone through so much, travelled many places, climbed many mountains, drank too many beers in Ireland, rented a jeep and explored the Road to Hana, Hawaii, and stood behind a jet plane taking off from St. Maarten in the Caribbean. I could write a whole chapter on this part of my life! We have endured so many ups and downs over the years. The true test of any relationship is how your partner reacts when your life falls apart. You will read more about this amazing man in a few chapters.

I lived a privileged life; my parents always had money, and I always had new clothes. I have never experienced hunger or neglect. My parents were so full of love and supported me with anything I pursued. They had a big house, a pool, and always had new cars. Our life was very fortunate, and I thank my lucky stars every day for this. Making my parents proud was important to me. I lived