Embracing the Waves
How I Survived Incomprehensible Loss and Relearned How to Live
John's narrative begins with a powerful wave that knocked him off his feet, flipping him upside down, leaving him shattered and unable to move anything below his neck. The stream of "what now?" questions that emerged in the wake of losing his independence set the stage for the soul-searching explored in these pages.
As he began therapy to recover from his spinal cord injury, he also began to reflect on the early years of his life, connecting to the strength and resilience he learned while navigating other losses.
The stories in this book are meant to help the reader to see their own strengths by relating to the common thread of human experience and the importance of our connection to each other. John's desire in sharing his very personal experience is that he will be able to help people to find hope in their own journeys and that they will realize they are not alone.
“John's story is uniquely personal and yet it speaks to the universal truths and challenges we all face in this life.”
“John's honest and at times humorous storytelling is refreshing. The joy, the heartache, the harsh realities, the loving support, and the inspiring spirit of hope are all found here.
Life can come crashing down on you, hard, and change the course of your life in a moment. John, by his example, inspires us to reach down deep inside and find the strength we didn't know we had so we can rise above.”
— Drue DeMatteis, Ohio
"A vividly written and engaging story of overcoming significant obstacles and the importance of being grateful. A spiritual book that gives the reader encouragement that you're not alone in life's struggles. I highly recommend John T. Chartier’s Embracing the Waves."
— Susan Harbin, Editor, Pennsylvania
I had the privilege of helping the author, John Chartier, get this book published through designing the cover, formatting the book for print and Kindle, and also doing some editing along the way. I have gotten to know John, not only from a lot of interaction throughout this process, but also through reading the encouraging, challenging, and heartwarming story of his life.
John has skillfully woven together many different threads of his experiences in life into a compelling account. These experiences range from family difficulties and losses during his formative years to coping with the consequences of a tragic accident that left him with a debilitating and life-changing spinal cord injury.
As you read John’s story, you will find that he is a man of strong faith, determination, compassion, and joy in the midst of trials that would have broken the spirit of lesser men.
I consider it a privilege to highly recommend Embracing the Waves to all who have experienced physical and emotional trauma, that they might find healing for their hearts and minds. I also recommend this book to those who are caregivers – whether they be family, friends, doctors, nurses, or therapists as John’s honest insights will help you to better understand those entrusted to your care.
— David James, Indiana