‘Live to the rhythm of love, without the ticking of time.’
This book is the debut of a young lady by the name of Laura Maaskant. I do know this book is published in Holland and in Germany as well, but I don’t know if there is an English version; if it is available in English speaking countries. So, although this book might not be available in English, I decided to write this review, because Laura delivered a very important, very universal message to all of us, young or old, sick or healty.
The book starts in the here and now with Laura and her aid dog Tirza, going to the sea, the beach. In the here and now, she starts writing down her memories in a diptych. In the first part of the book, at 15 years old, she is diagnosed with a rare and aggresive tumor, a mesenchymaal chondrosarcoma. She looks back on heavy chemo treatments that make her feel very ill and an operation. When all this is behind her, she goes to Mont Ventoux in France and bikes back home in Holland. She raises money with this tour and it brings back her physical strength and clear mind. In the second part, her scans appear to be clean and she decides to pick up a study in Amsterdam. For about 9 months, she lives the life of a student, until the cancer returns and nothing can be done about it. At 20 years old, she decides not to undergo life-prolonging treatments. She chooses to live life to the fullest, embracing every experience, which she does, ever so gracefully. The book ends in the here and now, the sea in an endles ebb and flow. As is life.
You might read this book as a sad, sad story, because it’s about a young girl that will not get old, but for me it’s way more than that. Her writing style is light and peppered with pearls of wisdom. I think her message ‘seeing the beauty in the now’ deserves all attention. It is easy to say, it might even be some sort of cerebral thing, but Laura felt it, lived it, embodied it. Her positive message ‘seeing the beauty in the now’ is there for all of us, is there for all who want to see. There are no conditions for this. Actually, it is Zen in it’s purest form.
When writing this review, I am listening to one of Laura’s songs where she started her days with: Jason Mraz- Living in the moment. You can find it on YouTube. This song really captures Laura’s message.
Laura gave a lot of interviews after her book came out, she was in a variety of talkshows, always shining, despite her ailing body. She became a shining star on August 15, 2019. This review wants to be an ode to her life, to her message. Thank you beautiful, powerful, wise woman!
Myoki
