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A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles”

By: Marianne Williamson

Reflection by: Rochelle Pettit

Why I read it?

I actually heard about this book on a podcast, and the two hosts said that they were surprised how moved they were by it. I figured if two cynical artists from New York could find meaning in it then I could probably get something out of it too.

What is it all about?

This book discusses the theory that we are full of love when we are born, but we learn fear over time. As we grow older, we make decisions based on fear instead of love. The whole idea of the book is to “return to love” and unlearn these negative tendencies. Williamson speaks to the power of love – in the general sense, not the romantic sense – and how we should be as loving as possible to every person that we come across.

What caused me to pause?

Williamson calls out our tendencies to be hard on people and suggests a different way of interpreting our interactions. According to her, whether we realize it or not we tend to believe that people have negative intentions, when in reality our perceptions are due to our own projections. This made me reflect on past circumstances when I thought people were acting with malicious intent, and consider that they probably weren’t.

How will this book change my habits or influence me?

As cheesy as it sounds, this book really changed my perspective on how we should treat others. We’re all familiar with the age-old adages of “You never know what other people are going through” and “Treat others as you would want to be treated.”  This book takes that overarching message and presents it in a more intentional way. I try to be as kind as possible even in seemingly insignificant encounters because you never know how it could impact the person you’re interacting with.

Add this to your reading list if …

You’re looking for a truly refreshing perspective.

Pickle Rating: 4.6 out of 5

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