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Onward Forward -- My Journey with ALS
Onward Forward is a book Brian Jeansonne would have written eventually. He wrote it now because ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, confined him to a power chair, silenced his voluntary muscles, and urged him to focus more deeply than ever on life’s most essential questions. In this heartfelt and irreverent memoir, Brian chronicles the disease process while exploring metaphysical, spiritual, and emotional concepts such as soul, suffering, contentment, presence, and—most importantly—love.
As both narrator and soul guide, Brian writes with raw honesty about the arc of his own faith, as well as difficult periods of depression. He asks and answers life’s most difficult but essential questions:
- What is God?
- Why do we suffer?
- How can we best live alongside each other?
- What does it mean to be content?
- How can we do better by ourselves and others?
- What’s the role of a parent? A spouse?
- Are Jesus and rock-and-roll compatible?
- What can we learn from Ted Lasso?
Beginning with a foreword by fellow soul-seeker Alanis Morissette, Onward Forward is an invitation to fully engage with life, to embrace “the good, the bad, and the shitshow,” and to run toward our truest selves with abandon.
This discussion guide was shared and sponsored in partnership with DartFrog Books.
Book club questions for Onward Forward -- My Journey with ALS by Brian Jeansonne
Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.
If you were to map out your spiritual journey, what would be the top 5 -7 highlights?
What has been your experience with relationships? Do you write people off, or do you try to work through difficult situations? In what ways did the author challenge or reinforce your approach to relationships?
If you were given a terminal diagnosis next month, how do you think you would handle it and in what ways does Onward Forward inspire you ?
What do you think of the idea that we are only formed through great love or great suffering? What has your experience been?
What does the phrase, "life is a beautiful cluster fuck and love is here," mean to you after reading Onward Forward?
Using three words, how would you describe how Onward Forward impacted you?
What has your experience with taking care of your inner life been? What practices do you engage in to take care of your inner life ?
Onward Forward -- My Journey with ALS Book Club Questions PDF
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