Whether it’s the result of a sudden accident or a prolonged illness, ending up in the hospital is rarely on anyone’s to-do list. As a former pediatric hospital chaplain, Macalester-Groveland resident Mary Farr, who has a master of arts degree in theology from St. Catherine University, has helped people from all walks of life weather life-altering events. As Farr explores in her most recent book, The Promise in Plan B: What We Bring to the Next Chapter of Our Lives, learning to accept and adapt to life’s curveballs is essential to leading happy and successful—if not always perfect—lives.
“Rather than accept life as a series of interruptions, we sometimes live the myth that it should be easy and smooth,” says Farr. “And if it isn’t, we must have done something wrong.”
In the book, Farr shares interviews with several people who are leading lives filled with purpose and passion, though none of them are living their “Plan A.” In fact, Farr says, altered life circumstances forced them to redefine success “not as a destination, but as an inner process of moving toward worthy goals.”
Farr believes that the resourcefulness, creativity and compassion that we gain from struggle can help us thrive in all areas of our lives. Life will never stop being unpredictable, Farr says, but “whatever you do, don’t postpone joy!”
To learn more about Mary Farr and The Promise in Plan B, visit hopress-shorehousebooks.com.
