The Angel Inside, by Chris Widener

Picked up this book yesterday... bought it because it's thin... bought it because I was looking for something that I hope would lift my mood... yup... I knew I need to do something to clear the gloomy air that has been lingering around these couple of weeks. In fact, I was seeking for clarity. Clarity of my thoughts. Clarity of my directions.

Not surprising. Though only started this morning, I finished reading the book. (I guess most people will take half the time I take.) But the 'chewing' process was an enjoyable one.

Indeed, "Michelangelo" is the "hook". Yup... "someone" whom I thought I am familiar with - "David" is his famous masterpiece... yes, and that painting in Sistine Chapel... But I discover more after the reading... He became alive! (Thanks to Chris Widener, who made him become alive!)

It's not just Michelangelo, but I think I am able to connect myself to the examples that Chris Widener attempted to bring out from the work of the great master. Thanks for making it an enjoyable and refreshing read :)
As posted in Facebook. It's about pursuing one's passion. Yup... great advice, if we have nothing to cling on to... Anyway, these are certainly good pointers that I would keep in mind :)

Excerpts posted in Facebook

• Every person has this tremendous capactiy to be both king and warrior, a person of value and a person of accomplishment - of beauty and power.
• There comes a time in every person's life when they must decide whether they will follow what they want for their life or what someone else wants for their life.
• Passionate work is when you wake up in the morning and cannot wait to get to it. When we are so engrossed in the details of the work that we find ourselves forgetting everything else.
• All throughout life there are people who do work of various sorts. Most people do average work. Some people do above average work. The masters, the ones who succeed tremendously and set the standard for others, are those who master the details.
• You conceive your world in your mind and then create it with your hands.
• People who are passionate are people who move the world and make a difference.

In particular, I think Chapter 8 sums up the 4 stages that one would experience from starting to work on the passion till arriving at the goal:

• Chipping: Every person has parts of them that simply must go. If those parts stay, you might never reveal the Angel Inside. If we are going to create a life of power and beauty, we must allow ourselves to go through the processes that chip away at all of the parts of us that hide our true selves.
• Sculpting: We are a product of the things that we allow to shape and influence our lives. Everything and everyone that we interact with will shape and mold the person we become.
• Sanding: Represents those times in our lives when seemingly negative circumstances surround us. It is when things grate against us. 
• Polishing: Represents the part of life that makes us look good. It is when we let the world see how beautiful we are. It is when we get to 'shine'.

Chip away what doesn't belong, sculpt our lives and give them form thorugh the people we associate with the information we take in, allow the rough spots of our lives to be sanded away through adversity and suffering, and then, only then, are we ready to be polished and let our power and beauty show in all their glory.
A summary of the kind points... (in the last chapter):

• Find the Angel within you.
• Follow your own passion.
• Be confident in your strength.
• The beauty is in the details.
• The hand creates what the mind conceives.
• Plan and prepare.
• Start with swift action.
• Embrace the stages of chipping, sculpting, sanding and polishing.
• Sometimes success takes years, to be content.
• No one starts wtih the Sistine Chapel.