Cam's Share: The Choice

From Cam:"The Choice" by Edith Eger is a memoir and psychological guide wrapped into one. Eger, a Holocaust survivor and renowned therapist, blends her own extraordinary story with the stories of her patients to show how we can choose freedom; not from what happens to us, but from how we respond to it.

I wanted to share this with Think & Think Again because the ideas in this book have genuinely shaped how I move through everyday life. It’s helped me explore the idea that it’s not the thing but your reaction to the thing; that your trauma (or experience) doesn’t need to define you. With three young children and constant infringements on my personal space and home (😉), this perspective helps me hit the roof less and respond in a more measured way (mostly!!).

What struck me most is the way Eger uses her own experiences (she survived Auschwitz) alongside her patients’ case studies to illustrate her methods. The way she breaks through with people, as well as her own strength, is inspiring and educational.

It has shifted my perspective: when I’m tired and think life is hard, or I get frustrated that my house is a mess and the kids are crazy, I realise how lucky I am. I try to take a deep breath, deal with things calmly, and be grateful.

And I think the ideas in this book are exactly what the world needs more of: understanding, hope, empathy. When someone is suffering or in a mental health crisis, it’s important to ask why and support as much as you can, rather than turn away from a lack of understanding.