Do you often feel that, although you are successful in many areas of your life, there is something missing? Do you sometimes wonder what life is really all about and whether there is some inherent meaning that you may not have found? Do you ever, when you have a chance to get in touch with your feelings, suspect that neither traditional religion nor hard, cold science has the answers?This book offers evidence that the world we live in really does make sense, really is growing in a positive direction, that these truths really are within a human's grasp, and that being aware and fathoming reality is the key to a meaningful, joyous life. This is not to negate the authenticity of pain, sorrow, agony, confusion, frustration, anger, loneliness, grief and, yes, sometimes a sense of defeat and hopelessness. These feelings are real. But they do not live in isolation! Our emotions can so easily overwhelm our intelligence. The Big Picture makes clear that looking objectively at our fearful emotions and fusing them with the perfectly creditable and laudable positive emotions of peace, joy, good humor, pleasure, and justified hope, will, if allowed, lead to a balanced and wonderful life. In The Big Picture, the author relates his philosophy of life through conversations with the animals in his back yard and a nearby pond. Although the book is humorous and written in the author's folksy, story-telling style that makes it easy and fun to read, this is a serious work addressing perplexing life issues-a book that offers a new perspective of the meaning of life.
About the Author: Dr. Cox, in his younger years, worked as a steel mill laborer, an electrician, and an electrical contractor. He later was manager of production engineering at Harris Corporation in Melbourne, Florida, working primarily on the space program. After completing graduate work, he began a career in social sciences research, first as a research associate at Florida State University and then to at RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. He retired as Senior Research Psychologist after directing more than fifty national, state, and local research projects. He also has worked extensively as a therapist. He currently lives with his wife, Julie, near Umstead State Park on the outskirts of Raleigh, North Carolina. The animals in the book are ones with which he is personally acquainted; however, to avoid paying them royalties, fictitious names are used.