Foreword

All is well because the tomb is empty. All is well because God is good. All is well because God has given us people like Dr. Al Rossi, who have had the courage to live, love, and share.

This is not a book for the fainthearted. Al shares his life in what he calls a really real way, without polish or hiding. This is a sort of spiritual autobiography, offered in such a way that the reader can assess his own life and learn how to make holy choices to grow and repent. It is remarkably accessible, expressing the wisdom of the ages in simple, modern terms. This little book needs to be read the way the finest of delicacies are tasted. Read slowly, deliberately, honestly, and reflectively. Smell the aromas, delight in the beauty, and taste with conscious anticipation. This book is worth its weight in gold.

Al Rossi is a deeply devoted practicing Orthodox Christian who happens to have studied Eastern and Western spirituality, modern psychology, and other social sciences. He has lived in monasteries, been successfully married, and broken bread with

many of the most famous and learned modern theologians and spiritual guides. He has spent time in books with the greatest of the spiritual saints and has made himself comfortable in their company. He knows how to apply the tools of prayer, silence, listening, insight, and wise practices to allow healing and growth to those who attend his retreats, seminars, and classes, as well as to those who seek his counsel in therapy. Al is also a leader of Orthodox clergy and clinicians who seek to develop their ministries and practices through collaboration and group learning.

In this little book, Al uses his own life and struggles to show how accessible God is, and how God can and will help us as He has helped Al. He demonstrates the spiritual process to conquer sin, addiction, bad feelings, and evil thoughts. He doesn’t sugarcoat anything. He speaks plainly yet insightfully, simply yet profoundly.

St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain speaks of man as a macrocosmos in a microcosmos. By this he means that each of us is internally more complex than the cosmos we live in. We know that mankind has just begun to understand bits and pieces of the universe and how they work. If we understand ourselves and each other as vastly complex, we can better approach ourselves and each other with appropriate awe, mercy, and gentleness. Please read this book with appropriate awe, mercy, and gentleness for both this heroic author and yourself.

Al Rossi is a charming man to be with. Although highly

educated in many disciplines, well-travelled, and connected to some of the Church’s greatest leaders, Al is disarming and accessible to everyone he meets, a humble man with a winning combination of skills and tools. In this book he shares his story and invites you to consider your own life as he shares his experiences. This book can be life-changing and formative for the reader, if the reader dares! Bishop John Antiochian Bishop of Worcester and New England