Eye 5: A Journey with Many Paths, Watch out for the Signs

By Sharon D. Blue

Eye 5: A Journey with Many Paths is really a book about love. It’s about love because it encourages people to give grace and space to imperfections that we all have. It also provides different perspectives about life through anecdotes, opinions and reflections that are silly, serious and relatable to those willing to admit life can be messy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 23, 2022
• ISBN: 9781664265066

Sharon D. Blue

Sharon is a mother, grandmother and author of the book “12 Months of God’s Majestic Beauty”. She loves people and through writing seeks to uplift others that are unable to express themselves audibly by encouraging them to put their thoughts on paper. In Eye 5: A Journey with Many Paths she has tried to do just that, even when pain was the motivator. She believes that encouragement goes beyond spoken words and is best demonstrated through activism. Because every person she meets has a place in her story and is worth taking an exit, detour or off ramp to show care and concern. Therefore, each anecdote, opinion and reflection in her book seeks to inspire those she meets a long the way.

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Copyright © 2022 Sharon D. Blue.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical,

including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written

permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

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Bloomington, IN 47403

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necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-6505-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-6506-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022907857

WestBow Press rev. date: 05/20/2022

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Eye 5

A Journey with Many Paths,

Watch Out for the Signs

AN INTERACTIVE BOOK THAT DISCUSSES

DIFFICULT TOPICS WHILE CREATING A SPACE

FOR THE READER TO EXPRESS PERSONAL

LIFE EVENTS, OPINIONS AND REFLECTIONS

WITHOUT JUDGMENT

The author acknowledges scriptures in this book as being taken from the online Bible application using the King James Version (KJV).

DEDICATION

Eye 5: Pay Attention to the Signs Along the Way is dedicated to my brother Lester (1969-2015). In 2015, my family lost Lester to suicide. It is a family’s worst nightmare; one I wouldn’t wish on anyone. Lester was a smart, funny, and caring man. He appeared to be content, and was the last person I thought would ever take his own life. There were no major warning signs or indicators because he loved, cared, and served others selflessly. I now understand that those may have been his signs in an attempt to mask his true pain. Therefore, I encourage family and friends not to ignore covert or overt signs that keep gnawing at your peace.

In the U.S. alone, approximately one in five adults (46.6 million) experiences mental illness in a given year. For more statistics by age and the type of mental illness, visit https://www.nami.org. In order to effect real change regarding this increasing method for loss of life, the broadest spotlight must be shone. Those suffering from mental illnesses have to be reassured that they are not alone and their pain matters to others. In the U.S., we have to find a way to treat those suffering from mental illness with respect and dignity in order to encourage them to seek intervention and treatment early without fear of judgment. If you or a loved one is experiencing mental challenges of any kind, please don’t delay by calling 1-800-950-6264.

Love you forever Lester!

CONTENTS

Dedication

Disclaimer

Introduction

Part One – Eye 5 Anecdotes

Ice Breaker: Silver Shoes and My Happy Skirt

Clichés

The Blind Traveler

Movie Night

From Chaos to Victory

Hearing Exam

Family Forever

Update Your Resume

Seeds

Are You Willing to Make Good Trouble?

One Party

No Valley Is Too Low

Give Flowers

Bonus Pages: Part Two and Part Three

Part Two – My Opinions

Insurance or Assurance

The Seriousness of Truth

Music to My Ears

The Pain and Joy of Waiting

Peace in the Earth

Junk or Treasure

It Is Better to Give

Stand, Kneel, and Love

Why Do We Treat God like a Child Needing Time Out?

The Lighthouse

Are You Ready?

The Last One on the Bench

Winners versus Losers

Praise in the Pause

When Is Enough Enough?

The Diet

The House of America Is Divided

Giant Slayer

Part Three – My Reflections

Dear Thanksgiving:

A Season of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Blessing

You Think You Know Me

No Story, No Glory

My Second Love

Eye 5: Pay Attention to the Signs Along the Way Questions

DISCLAIMER

No matter what section or genre you discovered Eye 5: Pay Attention to the Signs Along the Way, my hope is that this compilation of anecdotes, opinions, and reflections will be read by people of all faiths, genders, and ethnicities. Because the topic of self-awareness and mental maintenance should be important to every one of us without respect to race, religion, creed, gender, or nationality.

As a woman that embraces her Christian faith whole-heartedly, it is also my duty to seek to know and understand all people where they are in life; not where I think they should be. Therefore, as I express my self through the humble words written on these pages, please keep an open mind and heart as you read, write, reflect and opine.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Romans 1:16 KJV

INTRODUCTION

Eye 5: Pay Attention to the Signs Along the Way is not a clever, techy, or new-age way to say Interstate 5, nor is it a dead-end road. In fact, it isn’t even a physical highway. The anecdotes, opinions and reflections in Eye 5 are examples of me sharing how I once viewed or view my journey through life. And how we all sometimes choose to process mental and emotional situations using only what we see or feel as our Global Positioning System (GPS) without regard to the many warning signs we encounter in life. In other words: Do we view life experiences through filtered or unfiltered lenses to create our own reality? A question I hope we can unpack together as we navigate through the Eye 5 experience.

Throughout this book, I will share my opinions and reflections, with the hope that each reader will take time to jot down their own opinions and reflections on the blank pages provided. Perhaps even be encouraged to find the right forum to share with others. We never know who needs to hear our voices through written words, especially, in a