Life Expressed in 25 Words or Less

About the Book

Hi. Welcome to my world of word pictures. They represent selected random thoughts that span a period of almost twenty-five years, from my time in Japan to present day. The next version will include moments from before that time as well. Here’s a reading tip for maximum enjoyment: 1. Read the prologue for background. 2. Read the first aha moment. 3. Pause. 4. Read the next one. 5. Pause. 6. Keep repeating the process. This book has been published in a limited printing run for sharing with friends, family, and business colleagues. I hope you get the picture as you read. Some are written for humor. Some are simple observations of life. Others are either events that triggered expressions of faith or simply thoughts that popped up in my head. Thanks in advance for taking the time to read. I would appreciate feedback too.

About the Author

My name is Jack Cantwell. By day, I do paid marketing for clients and pro bono marketing work for select charities and my church St. Mary’s, Lebanon, Pennsylvania. By night, I work at becoming a published author, when I’m not teaching a marketing or sales class for Elizabethtown College. I had this idea when my wife, Pat, and I lived in Japan from 1987 to 1991. If I observe things and think thoughts, can they be expressed in random word pictures? That’s the concept of haiku, isn’t it? Can each thought be expressed in twenty-five words or less? Pure haiku is 17 syllables (too difficult for me), so I created my own rule of 25 words or less. I tried it out. Each first attempt uses more than 25 words. The editing is part of the challenge and the fun. The next step was easy to decide. Like a good marketing guy, I wrote a sample book, had 150 copies printed, and gave them away to friends, relatives, business colleagues, and people who heard about it and asked for a copy. In return, I asked for feedback. The results were highly encouraging, which motivated me to take this project to the next level. This is what you’re reading now. The original work is still included, plus this introduction is longer. There are well over 60 new word pictures, and in response to requests, I wrote a new section of backstories. Thank you in advance for climbing aboard. Some of my sample readers called this poetry for the nonpoetry reader; others observed that they were reading my autobiography in small bites. Remarks like that are woven into the motivation to keep going with the book. God has blessed me with a good life, and I’m pleased to open the door and invite you to be part of it through this medium, the haiku-inspired word pictures. The life connection has also inspired the title of the book.