Yesterday I Cried: Celebrating The Lessons Of Living And Loving
Product Description
What is the lesson in abuse, neglect, abandonment, rejection?
What is the lesson when you lose someone you really love?
Just what are the lessons of life’s hard times?
Bestselling author Iyanla Vanzant has had an amazing and difficult life — one of great challenges that unmasked her wonderful gifts and led to wisdom gained. In this simple audiobook, she uses her own personal experiences to show how life’s hardships can be re-languaged and re-visioned to become lessons that teach us as we grow, heal, and learn to love. The pain of the past does not have to be today’s reality. Iyanla Vanzant is an example of how yesterday’s tears become the seeds of today’s hope, renewal, and strength.Amazon.com Review
“Life is about cleaning up the crap and, while you’re doing it, being okay with the fact that you have to do it…. A word of caution. You can’t get caught up in the crap! If you do, you will surely lose sight of the real meaning of life and lose your Self.”
Iyanla Vanzant knows plenty about dealing with just such “crap.” She has led a difficult life, full of periods of abuse and self-loathing, but she has managed to learn “the lessons beneath the tears” and move beyond her grief and into understanding. In Yesterday, I Cried, she passes these lessons along, continually stressing that past hardships can and should be used to teach us how to grow, heal, and love others and ourselves. The message is one that has been echoed in her bestsellers One Day My Soul Just Opened Up and In the Meantime, but when presented as a memoir, the result is particularly moving.
As any regular Oprah viewer knows, Vanzant is a feisty and charismatic orator, and her no-nonsense style translates well into print. She is candid about her experiences without ever painting herself as a victim, effectively coming across as inspirational rather than preachy or self-pitying. The tone of the book is especially engaging because she seems to be actively working out her problems as she writes, gently pulling the reader into what becomes a mutual catharsis. “Of all things to master,” she asks, “why did I have to pick tears?” By the end of Yesterday, I Cried, she finds the answer. And in searching the depths of her own soul, she encourages others to do the same.
Yesterday I Cried: Celebrating The Lessons Of Living And Loving
MarvelousMarla said,
Wrote on August 23, 2010 @ 10:28 am
It took me a while to finish this book because of its sheer emotional impact. It starts with a wonderful poem that describes the shedding tears that had long been held back. Iyanla lays herself bare before her readers and revisits her coming of age. With the harsh life that this woman endured — sexual abuse, teen pregnancy, spousal abuse, poverty — it is amazing that she emerged with her sanity, let alone the ability to minister to others.
The author draws upon her experiences to show her audience how to look for lessons in life’s unpleasantness. She showed us how her upbringing caused her to internalize some damaging messages from her cruel grandmother, absentee father and an array of abusive lovers. The author explains her transformation from the much-abused Rhonda, to Iyanla the Yoruba Priestess and acclaimed author. And she does it in such a way that the readers know that they too can transcend their circumstances.
I found myself in tears a couple of times while reading this book. Tears may sometimes be viewed as a sign of weakness, but this is a tome about strength and courage. I applaud Iyanla’s courage and thank her for sharing her wisdom.
Rating: 4 / 5
Dana Joy said,
Wrote on August 23, 2010 @ 1:11 pm
This book is breath taking. For Iyanla to go thru such trials in her life, it is truly amazing that she still exsist. Her strength and determination is a lesson for all. I was so moved by each chapter, at times I just held the book to my chest and sighed. A lesson in the hard knocks of life that everyone human being can learn from. Excellent, excellent, excellent. Iyanla has moved me to the very core of my soul. I have highlighted special excerpt that I can use to reflect on my daily situations. Just a very inspiring book and a must for all to read.
Rating: 5 / 5
Anonymous said,
Wrote on August 23, 2010 @ 1:34 pm
I had heard about vanzant through a number of people. Even though at the time I was still a skeptic I went and got the audio version. I would listen to it around the house but after a couple of minutes I had to give Iyanla my full attention. It as if she had watch my my entire preteen life (being that I am 19). To make a long story short it was as if she was speaking directly to me. Iyanla made me really believe that even though thing were not good in the past don’t mean they have to be that way in the future. After I finished crying with her I put the past in the past and went our and enrolled in college. I am now in the middle of my sophomore year and in a few years I will have a degree in accounting. Most importantly I will be able to prove a better life for my son. Thank you so much Iyanla for giving me the push I needed to go ahead and face who I was so that I can see who I can be. P.S. I am no longer a skeptic
Rating: 5 / 5
Ella said,
Wrote on August 23, 2010 @ 4:20 pm
I could not believe it! I had not read a book in ten years and all of a sudden, what I held in my hand, I could not put down. This book should be read by anyone and everyone! especially those who have endured tough and awful times and learned how to “grow” because of those times. What I felt is best said, “Thank You Iyanla”! and may God continue to bless you!
Rating: 5 / 5
MyTwoCents said,
Wrote on August 23, 2010 @ 6:20 pm
First off, I haven’t even finished the book. I have about 15 pages to go but this book has affected me deeply and I couldnt help myself. I wanted to publicly thank Iyanla and say that if I ever meet you in person, I just want to give you a big long hug and celebrate Rhonda’s triumphs and ability to survive and become Iyanla. There’s a point in the book where Iyanla describes her proudest acheivement and she said it was being able to tell her Aunt that her uncle had molested her(she was a child at the time). Well, I just lost it at that point. I wept for Iyanla, Rhonda and anyone who had ever been abused.I agree with the reviewer who said: “I will NEVER say that my life has been hard after reading this book.” I cried so many times for Rhonda, while reading this book. I felt so much sympathy and empathy for her pain. Most importantly, I have had some of the most painful experiences in my life happen over the last 2 months to the point where I can’t believe anything worse could happen to me. I needed to grieve a death and the loss of a relationship and many things. This book helped me grieve and release my pain through tears.And in Iyanla’s defense(to the people who were dissappointed with this book), I LOVED that this book was an autobiography.To me it made the book so much more than a self help book. I believe she does not need to end every chapter with the lesson laid out. During the chapters she brings up the “questions” that she asked herself during her struggle. I think that she wants you, the reader to ask yourself the same questions if they apply, and come up with your own answers. Her lessons are HER lessons, yours will be yours. I love this book. Thank you Iyanla, from the bottom of my heart. :)
Rating: 4 / 5