Whether I like it or not, my life is a drama. It is often filled with outlandish people and amazing events, some mired in darkness, others illuminating and insightful. But all are opportunities for growth. The theatre where much of the drama plays itself out is in my professional life as a Social Worker. Somehow the pull is strong towards this vocation, which features the full spectrum of the human experience. Here, deeply human themes bubble to the surface and occasionally mirror the deep seated dilemmas of my own existence. The theme that has always carried the most weight in my world is that of Love, specifically, my inability to fully grasp the mysteries of romantic and maternal love. As I reached further into my thirties, I was more than a little stuck on the question - Who am I if I remain single and childless? The stories in Need Big Love, Need it Now, are an attempt to honestly capture the most salient experiences that have taken place over the last five years of my life, at work and in my personal life. These stories take place all over the world and reflect deep images of this challenging question. It was a serious quest, but not one devoid of deeply amusing and lighthearted moments. With a perpetual restlessness and irreverent attitude, I have racked up some wonderful adventures and delighting observations along the way. I tried to take control of my isolation and went to the Americas hoping to find a husband, but instead, came home with the realization that it was the love of a woman that I craved most. I continued to search for the answer to my emptiness, in a range of exotic landscapes, and started to get a glimpse of what it means to find equanimity within myself. Not content just yet, I crashed and burned through another unrequited romance or two in Europe, and through crippling disappointment, started on a long and painful IVF journey. Something radical had to change, so I jumped into the strange mysteries of deepest India, at an Ayurvedic Fat Camp. I needed to raise the bar of risk on each successive journey. But I found that I was indeed, on the right track. With every attempt to avoid psychological jargon, I hope to share the understanding that has educated my heart and mind to the perils of searching outside of myself for what I felt was lacking. I openly herald the dark night of my soul and the very important gifts that I received from this tumultuous time. I wasn't a 'head case' all the time, but the foolishness with which I pursued my Big Love, certainly twisted my personality and friendships. I try not to be too hard on myself in these accounts, for the path of my yearning is not uncommon to the human condition experienced by many. It has been necessary to understand the paradoxes within my journey, self acceptance being the major milestone. Ultimately these observations were the very things that healed me most and gave me meaning. These experiences were the catalyst which moved me through some important limits I had set for myself. I was often horrified by the potential pitfalls of love that were regularly reinforced around me, yet my attempts to force the ideal situation to manifest in my own life, were often sorely misplaced. I had to dig deep into my creativity and surrender to the healing powers of an abundant natural world, to come closer into balance with myself.
About the Author: Sharley Jackson Author of - Need Big Love - Need it Now. (2014) My curiosity about people and the constructs of relationship, has guided me for two decades through the human services and Social Work domains. This has sharpened my sensitivities and strengthened my insights and appreciation for the gifts of my work. Fortunately my sense of humor allows me to see the ironies of life which can also create opportunities for fresh ideas. I like to explore what motivates, moves, and isolates all kinds of people, in a range of cultural contexts. As well as having two degrees in Psychology and Social Work, I draw from my creative personality to communicate what I observe about life through my writing. I have sung professionally in many bands, have acted in theatre productions and am also a prolific painter. All of these artistic pursuits are engaged in, with a strong determination to get under the surface of life, to understand my inner world of emotion and fantasy and to find ways to break through the barriers I have set for myself. Need Big Love - Need it Now is my first major written work, and not surprisingly, I have chosen a memoir to share some poignant observations on my experiences of Love. I am open to using the events of my life as a springboard for analysis and also for inspiration. I grew up in a very, very small rural community and was the local Copper's kid, whose family lived in the police station itself. I couldn't really help but become a Social Worker, in this unusual childhood setting. I have always taken note of the themes of humanity which bubble up all around me. Currently, I work in an acute hospital mental health unit, where I am challenged to dig deeper into my internal resources to help improve the lives of others. It is often necessary to use my creativity and sense of humor to work through life's troubles, and pursue contentment. I am an experienced public speaker and have a warm presence that can sometimes be cheekily entertaining. I am a devoted world traveler and consider my thirst for adventure a life-long addiction. I plan to continue using the wealth of material that comes from my own journey, to explore themes and directions that have helpful applications to my readers.