Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
By Catherine DeVrye, Rockpool Publishing, $16.95.
A former Australian Executive Woman of the Year winner, Catherine DeVrye has also twice been voted Australian Keynote Speaker of the Year. She strongly advocates managing change and turning obstacles into opportunities to follow your dream.
This pint-sized book delivers a massive message, with what is an interesting play on her surname: DeVrye … Develops ideas-Delights audiences-Delivers results.
The paperback is enriching as it applies the timeless wisdom of Mother Nature to human nature. Personal resilience and the global environment are burning topics, and this book addresses both in a distinctive way.
As DeVrye writes: “since the dawn of time there has always occurred (and probably will always) the darkest of disasters in both Mother Nature and human nature. Thankfully, few of us ever face tragedy that strikes with the strength and speed of tornadoes and tsunamis, or the ferocity of floods and forest fires. Yet most of us do confront crises, real or imaginary, that can instantly change the course of our lives and eclipse not only our dreams, but also our desire to carry on. I know because I’ve been there. Such is the power of nature and the random nature of life.”
The advice is not to stay down in the dumps for too long, but to be resilient.
The Gift of Nature offers readers hope and strength through insights and inspirational quotes from an author who has bounced back from setbacks. ‘During waves of change or winds of woe, when our clarity of thinking vanishes in a mist of tears, lessons of resilience from a wondrous array of natural resources and human endeavours can help us clear the mental fog and better cope with the challenges of living’.
DeVrye shares her journey with audiences around this “weird and wonderful world, who often ask, ‘who or what motivates the motivator’?” Her answer is simple – “nature is my nurture”. That’s a surprising response considering she’s had some painful encounters, but a vital source of strength emanates from nature.
Why are some people so resilient in the face of trauma? With colourful illustrations and accredited quotes, she has compiled “a dose of hope” where the focus is on the ‘high touch’ of nature’s offering. It’s a compelling read.
