Three Paths, Three Choices: Getting the Life That You Deserve

Sherry D. Ransom
iUniverse (2006)
ISBN 9780595385379
Reviewed by Nina Larson for Reader Views (3/07)

Sherry Ransom’s book “Three Paths, Three Choices: Getting the Life You Deserve,” is about an excellent way to start change for anyone who is beginning to feel that something is missing from their life, but can’t quite put their finger on what or why.  She explains your life depends on the three types of choices you are making, consciously and unconsciously.  Choose not to choose, accepting what shows up? (The checkered path)  Choose to keep your life the same as yesterday, whatever that was?  (The yellow path)  Choose to take steps to a wanted goal or dream?  (The green path)  Using this paradigm, she uses the steps and missteps she has made in her life to illustrate how you can change your life by choosing the green path instead the checkered or yellow path.    

Her first section is an introduction to the three paths and what she calls “pretenders”.  Pretenders are reasons people tell themselves they have to take the yellow or checkered paths.  Her main point is that blocks will show up, and that choosing the green path is an ongoing choice.  So even if one day the blocks from the pretenders are overwhelming, the next day you can again choose the green path.  Her next section is titled “Learning” and there she explores some of the steps and tools the reader can use as they start on the green path and go for their dreams and goals.  As a side note, “P” seems to be her favorite letter in these two sections.  Her third and final section, “Being,” is about living the green path.  You’ve taken the first steps, now you get to reevaluate what you want, and hopefully keep choosing the green path, even if the yellow path looks very safe and comfortable. 

In each section she has many related quotes.  My favorite is on page 97 from Albert Einstein, “There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as though everything is a miracle.”  She also uses a passage starting on page 48 from Marianne Williamson “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.” 

I think “Three Paths, Three Choices: Getting the Life You Deserve,” is an excellent book for someone to use to change their life.  The reader can easily relate to the combination of color imagery and stories for each path Sherry Ransom uses.  It is a short book, only 116 pages, but it plants the seed for many good habits and viewpoints.  It was a good book for me to read too.  While I have pursued my dreams, it is always good to review.  I already have someone in mind to give this book to, someone who has taken one step on the green path and is looking around for what to do next.  And who knows?  Maybe the next miracle in my life will be my light. 

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