A brave and deeply personal memoir of one man's quest to rise above the the political and religious rhetoric that had divided and diminished the human spirit for thousands of years. Aaron Anson engagingly writes about his own experiences of growing up a black gay Christian in a deeply religious South. Battling for years with depression and the inner turmoil of not being accepted as gay by a religion that espoused self-hate and a society that condoned hating others-he chose not to question his taught religious teaching and struggled instead with the inherent feeling of knowing he was gay while longing to be considered a Christian. Confused and conflicted with the ambiguous messages of conditional love by the church, he married and fathered two children hopeful that his knowing of being gay would dissipate and relieve the tremendous burden he secretly harbored for many years. After suffering acute bouts of anger, bitterness and the frustration of three failed marriages he would eventually be forced to reckon the conditional love perpetuated by his religion and its departure from the authentic love he inherently felt for himself and others. The profound endeavor to reconcile the two, sets Anson out on a life-enhancing and thought-provoking journey to discover the encompassing and authentic love we all once knew as our original source. Anson assertively portrays an uncorrupted universal love and acceptance as our inherent birthright and explores the connection with our spirituality, sexuality, and morality. Anson tell his story with sublime prose and grace with inquisitive insight of our human sexuality. His story is beautifully rendered in a way that really hits home and told in a way that you will not soon forget.
Mind Your Own Life: The Journey Back To Love
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Aaron Anson, an inspirational speaker, consultant and New-Thought Coach, was largely self-taught, influenced by the writings and lives of,Thoreau and many great thinkers. He is cofounder of a computer technology firm with his partner Oliver and a contributor for the Huffington Post. Anson has inspired readers and listeners all around the world with his passionate message of self-love resonating with those seeking authentication in their lives. His book, Common-Sense Universe, inspired by the overwhelming response and letters received from readers and listeners is scheduled for release, Summer 2012. His book Mind Your Own Life: The Journey Back to Love (M.Y.O.L.) which began as a journal of Anson's own life, before evolving into a book.has been featured in A.A.R.P. and many other publications around the country. Anson maintains that the book instead chose him as a vessel for others longing to be accepted and validated within. He has been a guest on many radio shows and guest speaker at several literary events promoting self-love and acceptance. Raised a devout Christian in the South and endeavoring to uphold indoctrinated beliefs, Anson struggled to find true affirmation amongst the ambiguity of being gay with religious beliefs that espoused intolerant and hypocritical beliefs. After embracing his self-discovery, his fascination with the arts, world cultures and humanity led him all around the world where he's participated in humanitarian efforts giving hope to others. Anson is passionate about empowering people to find their own truth and identity amidst societal pressures, and the excessive bombardment of political and religious rhetoric.
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More About the Author
Aaron Anson, an inspirational self-help author/speaker was largely influenced by the writings and lives of great thinkers and humanitarians. Speaker and author of several books about Evolving faith and religion, he has been featured in many national publications including AARP.
A frequent radio guest and contributor to the Huffington Post--Anson is deeply committed to youth suicide prevention and empowering people to discover their own truth and identity amidst religious and political rhetoric.
Anson has inspired readers and listeners around the world to live their life open, honest, and authentically, with an empowering message of self-love.
Anson is passionate about empowering people to find their own truth and identity amidst societal pressures and excessive bombardment of political and religious rhetoric.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
'Don't debate who you are: be who you are': The Right to Unconditional Love
November 21, 2011
Format:Paperback
'My objective in writing this book was to encourage us all, at a minimum, to realistically examine our beliefs - especially how and why those beliefs came about. It's fair to say that the choices we're never given are the choices most will never make. Government and religion are intent on laying the ground rules for us to live by, and our mob mentality to be like others creates a false sense of acceptance as if society's values are our own.' This quotation is not the opening of this extraordinarily sensitive book/memoir by Aaron Anson, MIND YOUR OWN LIFE: THE JOURNEY BACK TO LOVE, but after reading this book several times it seems to be the essential core form which the rest of the book was drawn. Aaron Anson bravely goes where few others will tread in public light, sharing his own journey in coming to grips with a world that seemed to reject him, and in doing so he provides a Gilead in a narrative of love, acceptance, freedom, and happiness. With the publication of this book he steps into the role of a significant contemporary philosopher redesigning our concept of socialization and even civilization. But who is this erudite writer, this man who courageously seeks to break down barriers of prejudice?
Investigation into his background reveals the following: Aaron Anson is an inspirational writer and new thought coach who is married and lives in Washington, DC with his partner Oliver, where they operate a small computer technology firm. He is currently at work on another book and has appeared on several radio shows and spoken at a number of literary events around the country. MIND YOUR OWN LIFE, his first book, began as a journal of his life and eventually unfolded into a book. Before then he did not consider being a writer and accepted the creation that his writing instead chose him as a vessel for those with muted voices longing to be heard and those striving for an authentic affirmation of self-love. Raised a devout Christian in the South and endeavoring to uphold indoctrinated beliefs, he struggled to suppress his nascent sexual attraction hoping to escape the ambiguity of being gay with Christian beliefs. After a stint in the military he married and fathered two children before accepting that he was inherently a gay man. His fascination with the arts, world cultures, and all of humanity has led him to travel six continents. Anson is passionated about empowering teenagers gay and straight alike who struggle to find their place amidst the bombardment of excessive political and religious rhetoric. He has participated in relief efforts around the world and several missions that address homelessness.'
What Anson brings to the reader's attention is a book well written and obviously experienced that has many topics to examine - prejudice, religious intolerance, government intolerance, hypocrisy - all made the more poignant because he relates these conundrums to his own sexuality. The struggles this man has suffered he refuses to quantify or maintain as smoldering embers of a past. Instead he has become a spokesman for human rights - be those rights race based, sexual identity based, or defining how God should be interpreted - the right to be ourselves. His message is one of 'minding our own lives', taking responsibility for being the person we were created to be instead of the droid society and religion and government has designed as the standard. In Anson's words: 'If we choose to take our minds and lives here on earth and turn them over to others for the handling, and disbursement of information, that to me is religious. If I seek my own awareness and explore my uniquely personal connection to the Universe, then that is spiritual, and this is where I choose to operate.'
Aaron Anson has provided a handbook for young people who are confused and for adults who have lost direction in society's maze designed to define us. This is a smart, informing, and profoundly moving book. Grady Harp, November 11
Investigation into his background reveals the following: Aaron Anson is an inspirational writer and new thought coach who is married and lives in Washington, DC with his partner Oliver, where they operate a small computer technology firm. He is currently at work on another book and has appeared on several radio shows and spoken at a number of literary events around the country. MIND YOUR OWN LIFE, his first book, began as a journal of his life and eventually unfolded into a book. Before then he did not consider being a writer and accepted the creation that his writing instead chose him as a vessel for those with muted voices longing to be heard and those striving for an authentic affirmation of self-love. Raised a devout Christian in the South and endeavoring to uphold indoctrinated beliefs, he struggled to suppress his nascent sexual attraction hoping to escape the ambiguity of being gay with Christian beliefs. After a stint in the military he married and fathered two children before accepting that he was inherently a gay man. His fascination with the arts, world cultures, and all of humanity has led him to travel six continents. Anson is passionated about empowering teenagers gay and straight alike who struggle to find their place amidst the bombardment of excessive political and religious rhetoric. He has participated in relief efforts around the world and several missions that address homelessness.'
What Anson brings to the reader's attention is a book well written and obviously experienced that has many topics to examine - prejudice, religious intolerance, government intolerance, hypocrisy - all made the more poignant because he relates these conundrums to his own sexuality. The struggles this man has suffered he refuses to quantify or maintain as smoldering embers of a past. Instead he has become a spokesman for human rights - be those rights race based, sexual identity based, or defining how God should be interpreted - the right to be ourselves. His message is one of 'minding our own lives', taking responsibility for being the person we were created to be instead of the droid society and religion and government has designed as the standard. In Anson's words: 'If we choose to take our minds and lives here on earth and turn them over to others for the handling, and disbursement of information, that to me is religious. If I seek my own awareness and explore my uniquely personal connection to the Universe, then that is spiritual, and this is where I choose to operate.'
Aaron Anson has provided a handbook for young people who are confused and for adults who have lost direction in society's maze designed to define us. This is a smart, informing, and profoundly moving book. Grady Harp, November 11
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
'Don't debate who you are; be who you are': The Right to Unconditional Love
May 16, 2011
Format:Kindle Edition
'My objective in writing this book was to encourage us all, at a minimum, to realistically examine our beliefs - especially how and why those beliefs came about. It's fair to say that the choices we're never given are the choices most will never make. Government and religion are intent on laying the ground rules for us to live by, and our mob mentality to be like others creates a false sense of acceptance as if society's values are our own.' This quotation is not the opening of this extraordinarily sensitive book/memoir by Aaron Anson, MIND YOUR OWN LIFE: THE JOURNEY BACK TO LOVE, but after reading this book several times it seems to be the essential core form which the rest of the book was drawn. Aaron Anson bravely goes where few others will tread in public light, sharing his own journey in coming to grips with a world that seemed to reject him, and in doing so he provides a Gilead in a narrative of love, acceptance, freedom, and happiness. With the publication of this book he steps into the role of a significant contemporary philosopher redesigning our concept of socialization and even civilization. But who is this erudite writer, this man who courageously seeks to break down barriers of prejudice?
Investigation into his background reveals the following: Aaron Anson is an inspirational writer and new thought coach who is married and lives in Washington, DC with his partner Oliver, where they operate a small computer technology firm. He is currently at work on another book and has appeared on several radio shows and spoken at a number of literary events around the country. MIND YOUR OWN LIFE, his first book, began as a journal of his life and eventually unfolded into a book. Before then he did not consider being a writer and accepted the creation that his writing instead chose him as a vessel for those with muted voices longing to be heard and those striving for an authentic affirmation of self-love. Raised a devout Christian in the South and endeavoring to uphold indoctrinated beliefs, he struggled to suppress his nascent sexual attraction hoping to escape the ambiguity of being gay with Christian beliefs. After a stint in the military he married and fathered two children before accepting that he was inherently a gay man. His fascination with the arts, world cultures, and all of humanity has led him to travel six continents. Anson is passionated about empowering teenagers gay and straight alike who struggle to find their place amidst the bombardment of excessive political and religious rhetoric. He has participated in relief efforts around the world and several missions that address homelessness.'
What Anson brings to the reader's attention is a book well written and obviously experienced that has many topics to examine - prejudice, religious intolerance, government intolerance, hypocrisy - all made the more poignant because he relates these conundrums to his own sexuality. The struggles this man has suffered he refuses to quantify or maintain as smoldering embers of a past. Instead he has become a spokesman for human rights - be those rights race based, sexual identity based, or defining how God should be interpreted - the right to be ourselves. His message is one of 'minding our own lives', taking responsibility for being the person we were created to be instead of the droid society and religion and government has designed as the standard. In Anson's words: 'If we choose to take our minds and lives here on earth and turn them over to others for the handling, and disbursement of information, that to me is religious. If I seek my own awareness and explore my uniquely personal connection to the Universe, then that is spiritual, and this is where I choose to operate.'
Aaron Anson has provided a handbook for young people who are confused and for adults who have lost direction in society's maze designed to define us. This is a smart, informing, and profoundly moving book. Grady Harp, May 11
Investigation into his background reveals the following: Aaron Anson is an inspirational writer and new thought coach who is married and lives in Washington, DC with his partner Oliver, where they operate a small computer technology firm. He is currently at work on another book and has appeared on several radio shows and spoken at a number of literary events around the country. MIND YOUR OWN LIFE, his first book, began as a journal of his life and eventually unfolded into a book. Before then he did not consider being a writer and accepted the creation that his writing instead chose him as a vessel for those with muted voices longing to be heard and those striving for an authentic affirmation of self-love. Raised a devout Christian in the South and endeavoring to uphold indoctrinated beliefs, he struggled to suppress his nascent sexual attraction hoping to escape the ambiguity of being gay with Christian beliefs. After a stint in the military he married and fathered two children before accepting that he was inherently a gay man. His fascination with the arts, world cultures, and all of humanity has led him to travel six continents. Anson is passionated about empowering teenagers gay and straight alike who struggle to find their place amidst the bombardment of excessive political and religious rhetoric. He has participated in relief efforts around the world and several missions that address homelessness.'
What Anson brings to the reader's attention is a book well written and obviously experienced that has many topics to examine - prejudice, religious intolerance, government intolerance, hypocrisy - all made the more poignant because he relates these conundrums to his own sexuality. The struggles this man has suffered he refuses to quantify or maintain as smoldering embers of a past. Instead he has become a spokesman for human rights - be those rights race based, sexual identity based, or defining how God should be interpreted - the right to be ourselves. His message is one of 'minding our own lives', taking responsibility for being the person we were created to be instead of the droid society and religion and government has designed as the standard. In Anson's words: 'If we choose to take our minds and lives here on earth and turn them over to others for the handling, and disbursement of information, that to me is religious. If I seek my own awareness and explore my uniquely personal connection to the Universe, then that is spiritual, and this is where I choose to operate.'
Aaron Anson has provided a handbook for young people who are confused and for adults who have lost direction in society's maze designed to define us. This is a smart, informing, and profoundly moving book. Grady Harp, May 11
