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Shifting Shorelines

Messages From a Wiser Self

By Terry Helwig

In this collection of short essays, Terry Helwig draws inspiration from her life beside the sea, offering messages of hope and wisdom that would have guided her younger self, and providing women of all ages with a welcoming sense of solace. Helwig, a naturalist at heart with a Master’s Degree in psychology, explores the correlations between the inner and outer landscapes of life. Her personal essays, which encompass universal themes, invite readers to pause and reflect not only on the natural world, but also on their place within it. Each chapter ends with a unique, italicized message that Helwig directs toward her younger, “greener” self on its journey toward ripening. Shifting Shorelines is an ode to nature, the passage of time, and the ripening of wisdom.

Now and then one comes upon a quietly profound gem of a book. Reading Shifting Shorelines is both an awakening and a solace, much like reading a contemporary Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. In the loveliest and most inviting way, Helwig offers the reader the elusive experience of pausing to reflect and re-find the joy, meaning, and sacredness of being alive.

– 'New York Times' Best-selling author Sue Monk Kidd, 'Book of Longings,' 'The Invention of Wings,' and 'Secret Life of Bees'

Shifting Shorelines is a heart-warming invitation to the treasury of the shoreline and the full beauty of life. Helwig opens our eyes to the phases of the moon and the sea's bounty, then seamlessly connects all she witnesses in nature to the inner tides that define our life's journey.

– Paula D'Arcy, author of 'Stars at Night' and 'Waking Up to This Day'

Shifting Shorelines explores the author’s intimate relationship with the barrier island where she lives and the wisdom she gathers along its shores. Certain to resonate with women of all ages, this remarkable book is an ode to the natural world and to nature’s ability to deepen, inspire, and heal us. It is a powerful reflection on navigating the ever-changing contours of our lives.

– 'New York Times' Best-selling author Ann Kidd Taylor, 'The Shark Club' and 'Traveling with Pomegranates'

Shifting Shorelines

Messages From a Wiser Self

By Terry Helwig