Love. Forgive. Live.: An Inspirational Memoir

In this inspirational memoir, therapist and life coach Sroda Harriet Aglagoh shares her personal story of growing up in Ghana, West Africa, amid the turmoil of the country's coup in the 1980s. Physical, emotional, and sexual abuse led to trauma-induced panic disorder that plagued her life for many years. Her personal story and current work as a therapist combine to educate and inspire us to live our lives with passion, resilience, and hope.

Join Sroda as she takes you on a journey to answer the questions that bring meaning to life. Love. Forgive. Live. is a philosophy of living that came to Sroda one night in a dream after much praying and seeking God for answers. In her dream, she learned to imagine that life is like an earth boarding school, and we are all students sent here to learn three lessons before graduating:

Love--Accept Love to Give Love

The lesson of love is at the foundation of our existence because it is about whose we are, where we come from, and what we are. Love defines our true identity. You love because you belong to the Creator and are a part of Him, and He loves you so much that nothing can keep you away from that love. The Creator's love is limitless and never-ending. There is nothing we can do in order to stop it or block it. Therefore, believe that you are loved and claim it boldly that you have been a part of the "Great I Am" all along. Then you will have the capacity to give love to others and move toward the next lesson.

Forgive--To Heal Yourself

Forgive to heal yourself. First, believe and accept that you are forgiven of any wrongdoing that you may have done or kept hidden in your thoughts. Then forgive others for what they may have done to you knowingly or unknowingly. Forgive yourself for not always having the capacity to forgive (as it can be difficult) and stop blaming yourself when forgiving someone seems impossible. Forgiveness has nothing to do with the person who hurt you. Instead, it frees you from the chain that binds and ties you to the person who hurt you. Forgiveness empowers you to release the perpetrator so that you can both move forward.

Live--Practice Presence

To truly live is the lesson where we discover our purpose, our strengths, our joys, and our peace. In order to live, you have to be present and become self-aware of your environment and process the information you receive, especially from those around you. When you are present, you begin to pay attention to what people say to you, how that affects you, and how that applies to you. Out of love flows forgiveness and from there comes the freedom to practice presence and truly live. It is a gift that you get to unwrap every morning.