Love in the Blizzard of Life

Book excerpt: Love transforms all and forgiveness is the key to lasting and eternal love. Where there is love there is a way. Aphrodite is a beautiful young woman with a natural psychic healing gift inherited from her mother, Cassandra. At birth Aphrodite had been sent away to be adopted by a loving American couple. Not knowing the truth about her origins, she lived with a deep and abiding sense of feeling unworthy and unloved. Her birth mother, Cassandra, had grown up on a beautiful Greek island in a prosperous family with three older, macho and abusive brothers. At 17 she met an Australian Greek sailor, fell passionately in love, enjoyed one night of ecstasy, and became pregnant. Her favorite brother Alexei beat her up and the whole family threw her out of the house. She returned to the park where she had met the sailor. But this time she encountered Dietrich, a Swedish businessman. Thinking she was a street hooker, he raped, kidnapped and prostituted her. Eventually, 25 years later, the entire family would finally be reunited, each one having healed their capacity to love. And finally, Aphrodite spoke with tears streaming down her face: "And my purpose has been to love, to learn how to love and trust and surrender to life as it is, letting go of all expectations. The pain and sorrow has been intense, yet I have enjoyed many close friendships, many deep healings and I have become a healer, helping men and women heal through love. Now, finally, today, standing here proudly facing both of my beloved birth parents, at last, I am healing. I know what love feels like.... I have spent all these years of my life seeking love and approval outside myself, in the poor lost souls of the men who crossed my path and in the nurturing kindness of my women friends. Mother and father, I have taught so many men and women how to heal their bodies, heal their hearts and minds, and heal their relationships through love. Yet I was unable to do that for myself until now, at this very moment."