My First Last Year by Roger Leslie
‘Live the life you dream now’
Texas author Roger Leslie, with degrees in English education and creative writing, writes about a very broad spectrum of topics – novels, historical fiction, inspirational self-help, spirituality, writing and publishing, movie reference, teaching and librarianship, biography, history, and memoir. MY FIRST LAST YEAR combines this last category with his teaching and coaching in FLY (First Last Year), the concept her defines as, ‘Live the next year as if it were your last. Strive to be present every moment. Savor each day of the next year as if that calendar date were the last time you’d experience it. As you live from this focused perspective, notice what you learn, and record your experience, insights, and philosophies. Write them to empower others on their journey, Make your life a example for others to relish their own.’
This is an excellent, deeply inspiring book that is even more poignant as Roger shares that in the 1980s he and his husband Jerry were threatened with the possibility of having acquired AIDS: Jerry’s previous partner was diagnosed with AIDS and that presented the possibility of transmission to Roger and Jerry. Living in that shadow, they both saw the possibility that they faced their last year on earth, and when the possible diagnosis proved negative, they started life anew. ‘Half of my lifetime ago, I had a year of dying; now I am committed to a year when I really live.’ In that tone, Roger has developed his First Last Year program – and the manner in which he teaches the tenets and rewards of his concept is immensely rewarding, for all of us. Very highly recommended.
