Back to Good
Six Billion Ways to Bring Goodness into our world, one person at a time.
By Ken Ferrara
Reviewed by Angela Hutchinson
Author Ken Ferrara is on a mission, to encourage others to actively seek the art of doing “good.” Beyond religion to basic humanity is the call to be the best we can be for ourselves and each other. “Getting back to good is an ongoing, lifelong process that helps you identify, apply, and attain positive attitudes and actions through your particular beliefs and values, while being tolerant of the ways that others do so.” It is not something we can perform without making a conscience choice.
In this life, we have guides and inspirational moments which bring us to where we need to be. Some of the “guides” Ferrara provides in Back to Good are a “faith in SomeThing Greater,” a sense of gratitude, the willingness to “look within to change,” and “finding a purpose for life.” It sounds like the key may be to go beyond ourselves and dramas to find a connection with fellow humans. His teachings are effectively simple and historical…though lost in a very busy world. We make a choice to do the right thing in all areas of living. When we are not aware, we are still making a choice. It is time to become part of the solution of becoming all we can be through the actions of kindness.
When we return to “good”, we transform our selfishness into selfless actions. Going beyond and helping others, sometimes as simple as a kind word or a smile, can make all the difference. I thought the author’s ideas and information regarding environmental awareness and responsibility were impressive and significant considering current earth conditions. Ferrara also focuses on the importance of spiritual tolerance. “Spiritual tolerance asks you to be open to the fact that many different paths can connect with God. You are doing no disservice to your faith by being tolerant of true spiritual beliefs. On the contrary, being tolerant is an act of goodness that true faith expects and requires from you.”
Back to Good is presented in an impressively organized format using motivational quotes, to do lists at the end of each conceptual chapter, and note pages for reader friendly usability. It appears the author is leading the reader off of the couch of indifference and into a world of compassion with his words of encouragement. It is clear to me Ferrara cares about the state of humanity and our world. Back to Good is a call for all of us to make the world better and stronger one person at a time. After all, we were meant to flourish because of each other, not in spite of each other. Back to Good is a wonderful reminder to live purposefully and thoughtfully.