In his memoir, Little By Slowly From Trauma to Recovery, John Maloney Jr. , writes a compelling life story of resiliency and the need to discover one’s soul’s purpose.

As a former educator, I taught a course on Interpersonal Relationships starting with a unit on character development. The unit covered genetics, environmental factors and our responses to these environments. To bring life to the dynamic nature of how these factors play together for human growth and development, I would find real life stories for students to analyze. John’s book would have been an excellent story for the students to read in order to understand these concepts and explain while life struggles can make or break us, deep within the soul is the resiliency to find a meaningful life.

 

From early childhood on, John suffered and persevered through trial after trial and used all his God given talents and skills (genetics) to thrive despite the (environmental) influences of his family, friends, schooling, military training, war time, and civilian life. From one heartbreak after another, John Maloney (responded to these environmental) influences in a variety of ways, but always with the will to survive and to grow on his life journey. I felt his greatest growth came during his times of service to others during and after Vietnam. 

I have always had a great deal of admiration and appreciation for our military and the veterans for their service to country and humanity. John Maloney’s experiences during his time of military service bought further insight into the many traumas they can experience and his stories touched my soul. John’s Maloney’s candor and willingness to share these life stories before, during, and after the war,  will certainly benefit the growth of others and give the gift of empathy. 

I wish my former students would have had the opportunity of reading, Little By Slowly From Trauma to Recovery. Perhaps it will find a path to their doors.