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Constantly Overcoming Obstacles
Running Dreams is an inspirational memoir detailing your life and the challenges you faced to find a life of purpose and meaning. Why was this an important book for you to write?
It was important for me to write this book because many people face obstacles and have a hard time overcoming them. There are also many people who overcome struggles but don’t write their experiences, especially after going through so many difficulties and setbacks. For me, my dreams of becoming a detective were blown up with an explosion. In addition to becoming blind and losing my right hand, immigrating to the U.S. makes my story unique. I want readers to learn about Peru, immigration, blindness, and most of all hope. Life is about constantly overcoming obstacles. When we have setbacks, we have two options: do nothing and complain or get back up and fight to defeat them.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
It was the moment of and after the explosion. I left that chapter until the end to write. Even after over 30 years, I didn’t want to write about it, to let people know what I went through during those minutes of desperation. Expressing my feelings right after the explosion was very hard. It even brought tears to my eyes when I remember my mother and my siblings and how they must have felt when the accident happened. It was a tough time for our family as the explosion happened shortly after another family tragedy. So remembering their pain is never easy. Now that I have written it in Running Dreams, I feel much better. It is like finally turning that chapter over and moving on. Many times we feel like we have to keep some things to ourselves. They’re private, just for oneself. However, I felt that the memoir was lacking something if I did not include those details: my feelings during the most difficult times.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
I want people to learn about my childhood and my parents’ influence on me as a young person; how I learned to be determined to achieve my goals (like getting admitted into the Officer School of the Peruvian Investigation of Peru). I think it’s important to show the impact my parents had on me at a young age and how that helped me overcome adversity throughout life, and certainly after the explosion. At the same time, I want readers to know about some history of Peru; the situation for people with disabilities in Peru; my immigration experience as a blind person with a missing right hand; and how we are not alone facing our most difficult moments in life.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
To never give up, and to always have hope. We all face ups and downs. However, it is easy to give up when one falls. But, the problems do not go away. We tend to think, when a problem is big, that we will not be able to change the situation. I think that always having hope and faith, that gives us strength from the deepest of our being. With hope, we become innovative. In the most difficult of moments, hope can give you energy and spark imagination.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Running Dreams is a memoir of a man raised in a humble, hard-working family, outside Lima, Peru, at a time of great national political, economic, and social instability. Readers glimpse into the author’s formative years to discover the values and life lessons impressed on him by his family. In an instant, a grenade explosion severs his right hand and blinds him. With scant prospects, he leaves his family and true love to immigrate to the United States, facing a future alone. Beating the odds, he acquires the blindness skills, new culture, and new language necessary to pursue a college education, find a meaningful career, and build a purposeful life
We join Carlos in a treacherous, exhilarating journey to the United States, where he experiences continuous setbacks, but unexpected open hearts and hands restore him. He single-handedly battles hunger, poverty, homelessness, loneliness, prejudice, betrayal, language barriers, and immigration pitfalls.
In Running Dreams we experience the creation of an exceptional life of purpose and meaning. Those who cherish happy endings will not be disappointed.
Running Dreams
Running Dreams by Carlos Servan is a story about determination and following your goals. The author details his life with the Peruvian army and the important choices he makes to dedicate his life to an important role, with physical and mental fitness preparation and a focused mindset. He realizes his dreams when he enters his first year as a cadet at the School of Officers for the Peruvian Investigation Police, entering his first patrol, which changes his life.
This book begins with the author’s childhood, where his dreams center around protecting his country, which would eventually become realized and change the direction of his life in unexpected and sometimes dangerous ways. I appreciated the amount of effort spent on detailing childhood memories, which creates a clear picture of Servan’s personality, family relations, Peruvian background, and ambition.
I found the book to be deeply moving and impactful, as the author details not only his rise to success within his early adulthood but the challenges he faces and his ability to cope. There is sincere openness throughout the book, which gives readers a sense of Servan’s personality and impressive resilience as a hero. This stirring memoir gives readers a sense of inspiration and understanding about the author and his incredible journey.
Running Dreams is a beautifully written story about strength and determination. Carlos Servan has written a fantastic memoir that instills hope and faith in readers through an incredible story that will keep you engaged from the very start.
Pages 278 | ASIN 1639886435
LITERARY TITAN 