This book is not just a virtual trip around the astounding world we live in, but also the great inner-journey of one man. From high corporate demands to personal nirvana, it is the physical manifestation of John’s journey to find balance and peace in his life.

The adage ‘take time to smell the roses’ seems almost laughable in today’s world of overwork, blurred lines between work and home, and creeping invasion by technological devices. Balance was something circus entertainers did, not corporate executives.

John discovered the threads of wellness and the need for this in himself through this picture that was being woven at work. He decided to get off the corporate treadmill and found work into which he could pour his energy by supporting others in their corporate journey. He also embraced the one pastime that had always held his interest—photography.

John’s story is etched in the photos of this book. It is a story of taking time out to appreciate and be grateful for all that’s good in the world; it is a story of an adventurer brave enough to get out there and truly see with an attuned eye. As his friend and one-time work colleague, I watched in fascination as this story unfolded. He scheduled time out. He honed his craft. He found himself again.

Step inside each picture and taste, smell and feel it. This is John’s world. This is John’s story. But perhaps it is ours too. Perhaps we, too, secretly yearn to take the path that he has taken, the path that leads back to self.

With love and thanks,
Julie Shaw
Author, Icebergs in Africa