Book review: ‘Crossroads of Should and Must’ inspires pursuit of meaningful life

"THE CROSSROADS OF SHOULD AND MUST: Find and Follow Your Passion,” by Elle Luna, Workman Publishing Co., $16.95, 161 pages (nf)

“The Crossroads of Should and Must: Find and Follow Your Passion” by Elle Luna takes readers on a journey of introspective self-discovery based on the author's experiences.

“Should,” defined by the author, is the expectations of others — the people, society and world in which we live. “Must” arises from the soul and compels people to find and follow their life mission. Drawing on inspiration from Picasso's biography written by Arianna Huffington, Luna postulates: What if our job, our career and our calling were one and the same?

Luna divides the journey and her book into four sections — “The Crossroads,” “The Origin of Should,” “Must” and “The Return” — using the hero's journey as a pattern. Each section deals with the obstacles and challenges of finding and living true to one's inner voice.

Using examples from her own life, the author addresses reasons people may offer for not pursuing their “must” — no time, too old, no space, no money — and then offers practical suggestions for discovering ways to pursue that passion.

Although the ideas are not new, the author's perspective and presentation are unique. Illustrated with bold, whimsical art along with a few photos, the book is visually interesting and easy to read. Sprinkled throughout the book are quotes from well-known artists and philosophers, like this one from Joseph Campbell: “Follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be.”

There is no swearing, inappropriate language, sexual innuendo or violence in this book. It would make a great gift for anyone seeking inspiration and encouragement in discovering his or her life path.

Luna is a painter, designer and writer who lives and works in San Francisco. She runs the Balan Project, a collaboration between designers and master batik artists in Bali.

Rosemarie Howard enjoys creating multimedia projects. Her website is at dramaticdimensions.com.