Title: Angels Among Us (Living Dream Series)
Author: Erwin Lazaro
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 9781546204046
Pages: 242
Genre: Non-Fiction
Reviewed by: Anita Lock
Pacific Book Review Star
Awarded to Books of Excellent Merit
Not one person is exempt from experiencing pain in life, whether mentally, emotionally or physically. Pain can either make or break a person’s spirit; some can move on, others don’t. In the case of author Erwin Lazaro, chooses to do something with his intense experiences by paying attention to a fabulous and life-changing dream, “a dream of ideals” that he had in 1998 while living in the Pacific Northwest. The ultimate goal: attaining inner peace.
Soon after waking up from a beautiful and near-realistic dream, Lazaro finds himself tormented with guilt but cannot seem to put his finger on its cause. In route to work later that morning, a flood of repressed memories surface, such as his second-grade encounters with a militant teacher. The latter circumstances, as mortifying as they were, seem to pale in comparison to the loss of his best friends, particularly one who succumbed to suicide.
Lazaro makes an unspoken promise to his deceased friends to live his life “like there’s no tomorrow.” His pledge gets challenged when he recalls selfish decisions from his past, deals with comfort food and weight gain and cuts off a taxing, long-term engagement. The combination of all of the above plus the fact he’s still single at the age of thirty leaves him depressed throughout the workday. By the end of the day, Lazaro decides that it is time for a vacation: a road trip into soul-searching and self-discovery.
Lazaro’s debut takes a candid look at introspection. He opens with a heartfelt disclaimer stating what he writes worked for him, but takes no responsibility to the success of others. He says it is his wisdom to be used as a guide. True to his word, Lazaro conveys his “experiences with sincerity.” Choosing to wrap his head around a multitude of unresolved conflicts from his past, Lazaro takes on this challenge with his faithful road trip companions—a camcorder (to journal his day-to-day experiences) and musical inspirations from various artists—as he ventures around the West Coast.
While Lazaro’s writing style may throw some readers off course with his flurry of rants and tendency to go off on tangents, this reviewer highly encourages readers to spend time getting to know the person behind this memoir by visiting Lazaro’s website, www.lazarolivingdream.com, before engaging deeply in his account. Just perusing Lazaro’s heartwarming and friendly website for a few minutes will give a clear indication of this man’s genuine desire to help others. In fact, Lazaro encourages his audience to get in contact with him “for an open dialogue inspired by the expressions within these pages.”
Lazaro’s journey may not reach a broad audience. But to those who are truly soul searching (as well as those who’ve been there) will appreciate the courage and vulnerability amid his introspection to achieve inner peace.
