What do you think?
Have We Found Our Better Selves?:
"... a manual for now and the future, providing intelligent, practical guidance for all concerned with the new lifestyle template that Covid has imposed."
- Barbara Bamberger Scott, The US Review of Books
HAVE WE FOUND OUR BETTER SELVES? is a follow-up to a "survival" book that was written during the first three months of the COVID-19 Pandemic. With over a year and a half of living with the COVID-19 virus and with the probability of COVID-19 finally being under control, this book helps all of us step back and take a look at how we have thought and acted during the months and months of pandemic. Ask yourself, "Am I just trying to forget the whole thing as if it were just a nightmare? Or, are there things I have learned about myself and my family that are important now and in the future? What new skills have I learned? Are there ways I think about and treat other people that have changed? Do I like myself better? Am I finding my better self? Am I also helping each person in my family find their better selves?
Meril's unique experience as a spacecraft controller during the moon landings, a student of history, an enjoyment of research, a good sense of humor, a wide variety of life experience, and a forty-year career in all levels of education, provides an excellent backdrop for Meril's informative and easy to read books.
- Barbara Bamberger Scott, The US Review of Books
HAVE WE FOUND OUR BETTER SELVES? is a follow-up to a "survival" book that was written during the first three months of the COVID-19 Pandemic. With over a year and a half of living with the COVID-19 virus and with the probability of COVID-19 finally being under control, this book helps all of us step back and take a look at how we have thought and acted during the months and months of pandemic. Ask yourself, "Am I just trying to forget the whole thing as if it were just a nightmare? Or, are there things I have learned about myself and my family that are important now and in the future? What new skills have I learned? Are there ways I think about and treat other people that have changed? Do I like myself better? Am I finding my better self? Am I also helping each person in my family find their better selves?
Meril's unique experience as a spacecraft controller during the moon landings, a student of history, an enjoyment of research, a good sense of humor, a wide variety of life experience, and a forty-year career in all levels of education, provides an excellent backdrop for Meril's informative and easy to read books.
100 pages, Paperback
Published August 11, 2021
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 3, 2022
Such a raw and authentic book. Have We Found Our Better Selves by Meril R. Smith talks about the reality of Covid and how it affects people in general aspects. I have been searching for somewhat a support book that mainly talks about keeping mental health and sanity in this new reality the world is living in right now. This book was it. The author expressed how challenging the pandemic is but also how possible it is for anyone to deal with it. The book made me realize the value of relationship, friendship and family. Especially the time we spend to our loved ones. Despite the sudden switch of mundane things, we still see the positive side of it and that's more important than anything. This was a well-written book and very easy to get into.
April 21, 2022
Meril Smith’s book, 'Have we found our better selves?’ concerns the effects experienced when the global pandemic Covid-19 just started. The experiences shared tell of how some people coped and adapted, as well as how they had to change the way they do things. The author shares how the stress, seclusion, and shift of routines became the new norm and questions if things will ever return to normal.
Even though Covid-19 has affected many globally, Smith’s book shows the challenging crisis made families grow closer to each other. People have taken for granted food availability, they realized that toilet paper is VERY important and businesses and employers realized their employees could work from home. The mindset toward work and study has shifted. The dreaded commute hated by many prior to the pandemic become non-existent as many sheltered in their homes, washing their hands more than they usually would have. Parents realized they had to quickly adopt the role of parent, teacher, coach, IT specialist, and other roles as they actively became the main educator for their children.
Everything seemingly changed overnight, and we had essential and non-essential employees. In reaction to the changes, people and organizations shifted to survival mode, some continued to thrive as the outcomes changed. The book highlights how many people reevaluated what mattered and how they prioritized their efforts around those priorities. The compassion of many was seen, “staying at home because of Covid-19 was the genesis of brothers bonding.” Relationships and bonds developed and there was an increase in empathy and helping others.
While ‘Have we found our better selves?’ isn’t a memoir, the book shared real experiences and shared things parents could do with their kids during the unexpected stressful period. Activities such as journaling, card making, collages, and making an inside ‘hideout’ are things the author shared that made the book interesting to read. The suggested activities were thoughtful as the world is inadvertently still dealing with the pandemic. With more parents working from home, the author shared ideas fathers could engage in with their children.
The book isn’t all doom and gloom and Smith pokes fun at the way toilet paper was a hot commodity. ‘Have we found our better selves?’ comes to serve as a thorough reminder of the often unprecedented, often mundane details and changes that society as a whole experienced in 2020. It is a well-written pandemic diary; it captures the changes and strangeness brought about by Covid-19.
Even though Covid-19 has affected many globally, Smith’s book shows the challenging crisis made families grow closer to each other. People have taken for granted food availability, they realized that toilet paper is VERY important and businesses and employers realized their employees could work from home. The mindset toward work and study has shifted. The dreaded commute hated by many prior to the pandemic become non-existent as many sheltered in their homes, washing their hands more than they usually would have. Parents realized they had to quickly adopt the role of parent, teacher, coach, IT specialist, and other roles as they actively became the main educator for their children.
Everything seemingly changed overnight, and we had essential and non-essential employees. In reaction to the changes, people and organizations shifted to survival mode, some continued to thrive as the outcomes changed. The book highlights how many people reevaluated what mattered and how they prioritized their efforts around those priorities. The compassion of many was seen, “staying at home because of Covid-19 was the genesis of brothers bonding.” Relationships and bonds developed and there was an increase in empathy and helping others.
While ‘Have we found our better selves?’ isn’t a memoir, the book shared real experiences and shared things parents could do with their kids during the unexpected stressful period. Activities such as journaling, card making, collages, and making an inside ‘hideout’ are things the author shared that made the book interesting to read. The suggested activities were thoughtful as the world is inadvertently still dealing with the pandemic. With more parents working from home, the author shared ideas fathers could engage in with their children.
The book isn’t all doom and gloom and Smith pokes fun at the way toilet paper was a hot commodity. ‘Have we found our better selves?’ comes to serve as a thorough reminder of the often unprecedented, often mundane details and changes that society as a whole experienced in 2020. It is a well-written pandemic diary; it captures the changes and strangeness brought about by Covid-19.
April 22, 2022
Have We Found Our Better Selves by Meril R. Smith is a powerful manual displaying the life changes brought on by COVID-19. The author discusses some most important questions about how we behaved, changed and learned through the pandemic months. This book highlights the importance of learning life lessons which willingly or unwillingly the pandemic taught us. It also makes us realize the need to taking care of oneself, upgrading skill set and upholding the ties of kinship by helping out family members however possible.
It's been a drastic upheaval in lives of everyone as the covid hit and this book truly made me realized the necessity to move forward, learn and be a better self from the past of me. I felt so emotional reading through every page as there's something to learn and reflect. The real personal stories of people just hit me with new conviction that we have suffered a lot but there’s new day each day. I highly recommend this book as it's need of the hour with best advices.
It's been a drastic upheaval in lives of everyone as the covid hit and this book truly made me realized the necessity to move forward, learn and be a better self from the past of me. I felt so emotional reading through every page as there's something to learn and reflect. The real personal stories of people just hit me with new conviction that we have suffered a lot but there’s new day each day. I highly recommend this book as it's need of the hour with best advices.
April 18, 2022
Thought Provoking
If anything can be said with certainty, it is that the pandemic has changed our lives forever. Building upon this fact author Meril R. Smith makes a stand that life has changed for the better in his book Have We Found Our Better Selves?: (What We Can Learn From Covid-19).
Citing various examples of people’s ingenuity and rising to the task during the pandemic, Smith points out that the way things were before really weren’t working that well. He makes a proposition towards the reader to consider their actions and see what has changed for better or worse and to consider what that means for the world at large.
I found the book thought provoking—no matter one’s stance on how things were handled during the height of the pandemic—and I feel everyone would find something insightful in the book.
If anything can be said with certainty, it is that the pandemic has changed our lives forever. Building upon this fact author Meril R. Smith makes a stand that life has changed for the better in his book Have We Found Our Better Selves?: (What We Can Learn From Covid-19).
Citing various examples of people’s ingenuity and rising to the task during the pandemic, Smith points out that the way things were before really weren’t working that well. He makes a proposition towards the reader to consider their actions and see what has changed for better or worse and to consider what that means for the world at large.
I found the book thought provoking—no matter one’s stance on how things were handled during the height of the pandemic—and I feel everyone would find something insightful in the book.
April 19, 2022
The author shows how covid had affected people from different walks of life. It is interesting to read their narratives and understand different perspectives on how covid altered lives and lifestyles. It is also an eye opener to the severity of the virus and how it continues to impact people on a daily basis. I think this book is a great read for anyone interested in understanding human life stories and society. It encapsulated the presence of covid in our lives and reveals how people will always have different ways of thinking.
It also highlights varied experiences to show that not every person or situation is the same. I would recommend readers to give this book a try mainly because it is a short and insightful read into understanding human beings and human lives. It is a realisation of what can happen from one virus that has spread throughout the world.
It also highlights varied experiences to show that not every person or situation is the same. I would recommend readers to give this book a try mainly because it is a short and insightful read into understanding human beings and human lives. It is a realisation of what can happen from one virus that has spread throughout the world.
April 21, 2022
Reflections on life after the pandemic
“Have We Found Our Better Selves: (What We Can Learn From Covid-19)” written by Meril R. Smith, is a book that made me reflect upon what we, all citizens from the planet Earth, have lived in the last few years.
There are plenty of books from this category, and perhaps talking about this topic is now a little irritating, but this piece in particular left me with a feeling that I did not sense before. I feel better prepared for the future, for unexpected global and personal events. The reader also made me treasure what I have got and what I accomplished so far. It made me value myself, my relationships and my possessions.
This is a short book, perfect for an evening, that can help anyone who is still feeling overwhelmed by life’s ups and downs.
I strongly recommend it and I give it four stars!
“Have We Found Our Better Selves: (What We Can Learn From Covid-19)” written by Meril R. Smith, is a book that made me reflect upon what we, all citizens from the planet Earth, have lived in the last few years.
There are plenty of books from this category, and perhaps talking about this topic is now a little irritating, but this piece in particular left me with a feeling that I did not sense before. I feel better prepared for the future, for unexpected global and personal events. The reader also made me treasure what I have got and what I accomplished so far. It made me value myself, my relationships and my possessions.
This is a short book, perfect for an evening, that can help anyone who is still feeling overwhelmed by life’s ups and downs.
I strongly recommend it and I give it four stars!
April 18, 2022
Nice
“Have we found out better selves?” is such an inspiring book. It will have you viewing all past events with a whole other feeling and attitude. By talking about all kinds of past events, starting with incidents such as 9/11 all throughout the world history until today’s COVID pandemic, the author manages to create a bigger picture. He will help you to get out of your own little bubble, helping you to see things differently.
It is very noticeable that the author went through a lot of hardships throughout his life and he has learned to appreciate the simple things in life, something that helps greatly at achieving a greater happiness. I loved this book. Full of humor and positive attitudes it will not dare to disappoint you. Definitely recommended!
“Have we found out better selves?” is such an inspiring book. It will have you viewing all past events with a whole other feeling and attitude. By talking about all kinds of past events, starting with incidents such as 9/11 all throughout the world history until today’s COVID pandemic, the author manages to create a bigger picture. He will help you to get out of your own little bubble, helping you to see things differently.
It is very noticeable that the author went through a lot of hardships throughout his life and he has learned to appreciate the simple things in life, something that helps greatly at achieving a greater happiness. I loved this book. Full of humor and positive attitudes it will not dare to disappoint you. Definitely recommended!
April 20, 2022
"Have we found our better selves?: What we can learn from COVID-19" is a book dedicated basically to all humankind. Meril Smith gives the reader a tour through the COVID years we all have experienced since the beginning of 2020.
This is a book destinated for people who are trying to survive and adapt to the "New Normal" because of so many things society has experienced and changed since 2019.
In my opinion, this book helps the reader to understand what happened and maybe discover things that happened and were unnoticed, because the virus came strong and found most of us mentally unprepared to cope with loneliness, unemployment, death of family members/friends and so many other aspects treated on this book.
This is a book destinated for people who are trying to survive and adapt to the "New Normal" because of so many things society has experienced and changed since 2019.
In my opinion, this book helps the reader to understand what happened and maybe discover things that happened and were unnoticed, because the virus came strong and found most of us mentally unprepared to cope with loneliness, unemployment, death of family members/friends and so many other aspects treated on this book.
Read
April 20, 2022I found a great ally in HAVE WE FOUND OUR BETTER SELVES? By Meril R. Smith. In this book, I found the questions and answers I have been asking myself for a long time. It's amazing to think that this book was written during the first three months of the COVID-19 Pandemic. With two years of living with the virus and finally being able to see light at the end of the tunnel, this book helped me step back and take a look at how I have passed the last months of the pandemic. This wonderful work invited me to reflect upon what I have done and how I did it. I really think it is a must read for everyone. It can also be of great help to anyone who has been struggling with emotions and feelings as a consequence of the pandemic. I give this book five stars and will recommend it to all my friends.
April 21, 2022
Meril R. Smith is the great author of this read about things we have learned after COVID-19.
I bought this book because the title really interested me. I remember myself back in 2019 discussing with my mother whether we would learn something after this pandemic or not and this narrative has provided me with plenty of answers.
HAVE WE FOUND OUR BETTER SELVES? serves as a guide for everything that concerned and keeps concerning us about our new lifestyle in 2022. It helps readers analyze what they have been doing and how they have been acting along the road from 2019 until now.
I enjoyed that the author experienced the pandemic and she then put pen to paper and gave birth to a wonderful memoir. This format makes it easy to follow and a friendly manner has definitely been used here.
I bought this book because the title really interested me. I remember myself back in 2019 discussing with my mother whether we would learn something after this pandemic or not and this narrative has provided me with plenty of answers.
HAVE WE FOUND OUR BETTER SELVES? serves as a guide for everything that concerned and keeps concerning us about our new lifestyle in 2022. It helps readers analyze what they have been doing and how they have been acting along the road from 2019 until now.
I enjoyed that the author experienced the pandemic and she then put pen to paper and gave birth to a wonderful memoir. This format makes it easy to follow and a friendly manner has definitely been used here.
April 21, 2022
HAVE WE FOUND OUR BETTER SELVES? is a book that invites to self reflection. It helps us analyze how we have lived these last two years in a pandemic, how we have been transformed by it and what we have learned from this terrible and traumatic experience.
The book portrays an unusual and very interesting writing style, which is accompanied by several testimonies and personal experiences. It transmits the main ideas in a way that it is easy to follow and understand.
I recommend having it always at hand. It will help readers start thinking about their own experiences in these last two years and to minimize the impact of the things they had to go through. It is a short, concise and pleasant read.
The book portrays an unusual and very interesting writing style, which is accompanied by several testimonies and personal experiences. It transmits the main ideas in a way that it is easy to follow and understand.
I recommend having it always at hand. It will help readers start thinking about their own experiences in these last two years and to minimize the impact of the things they had to go through. It is a short, concise and pleasant read.
April 21, 2022
What did Covid-19 leave behind? It’s a question I often ask myself. The past years we live through a global pandemic that has absolutely transformed every aspect of our lives and the world changed abruptly. It imposed a different lifestyle and we can agree or not with it but it’s unavoidable and it’s necessary to stop and think about it.
This is a very short but truly wonderful, educational, practical, profitable and inspiring book written by the talented mind of Meril R. Smith. I have read one of her other titles, but this one is my favorite. I strongly believe that I could apply lots of her teachings into my everyday life and without hesitation I felt more positive. I would recommend reading this book to every adult because I believe it can be of great help as it was for me.
This is a very short but truly wonderful, educational, practical, profitable and inspiring book written by the talented mind of Meril R. Smith. I have read one of her other titles, but this one is my favorite. I strongly believe that I could apply lots of her teachings into my everyday life and without hesitation I felt more positive. I would recommend reading this book to every adult because I believe it can be of great help as it was for me.
April 20, 2022
Light and very relatable pandemic experiences.
This book is very timely and I feel like I learned the same thing as what the author has accounted for about covid. It is a guide on how to live through COVID and how to adapt to life after covid 19. I have read several books about COVID or have ideas about COVID 19 and this is one of the few that I like. Although it is very obvious what things we should or should not do to prevent another global pandemic, sometimes it is good to be reminded about it. Or knowing that it is not just you. It is very relatable and easy to understand. It is recommended for those who are still trying to recover from the loss and the whole ordeal.
This book is very timely and I feel like I learned the same thing as what the author has accounted for about covid. It is a guide on how to live through COVID and how to adapt to life after covid 19. I have read several books about COVID or have ideas about COVID 19 and this is one of the few that I like. Although it is very obvious what things we should or should not do to prevent another global pandemic, sometimes it is good to be reminded about it. Or knowing that it is not just you. It is very relatable and easy to understand. It is recommended for those who are still trying to recover from the loss and the whole ordeal.
March 31, 2022
What have we learned?
Written last year, the author gives us an accounting of how she and her family as well as their friends and acquaintances coped with Covid. How their lives changed, how they stayed sane and more. from the activities they did in their home and outside, this book is a good read to show us that life isn't gloom and doom right now. I liked the layout of the book, it was visually appealing and the photos were a nice touch. Overall, the book is great in helping us think outside the box since pour lives post covid haven't stayed in the box.
Written last year, the author gives us an accounting of how she and her family as well as their friends and acquaintances coped with Covid. How their lives changed, how they stayed sane and more. from the activities they did in their home and outside, this book is a good read to show us that life isn't gloom and doom right now. I liked the layout of the book, it was visually appealing and the photos were a nice touch. Overall, the book is great in helping us think outside the box since pour lives post covid haven't stayed in the box.
April 20, 2022
Taking as a starting point the question, which happens to be the title of the book, I think the author, Meril R. Smith, wrote a very interesting book. Not all of us have experienced the arrival of Covid-19 in the same way. I think the main objective of this book is to take a look and see how and to what extent we have overcome this pandemic, but HAVE WE FOUND OUR BETTER SELVES?
With more than 75 pages, this book makes the reader reflect on everything that has happened during the pandemic. I think it is a book of general interest which can be read by adults of different ages.
With more than 75 pages, this book makes the reader reflect on everything that has happened during the pandemic. I think it is a book of general interest which can be read by adults of different ages.
May 4, 2022
Just by looking at the cover of the book I knew what its topic was about. Wearing a mask tells everything now. Author Meril Smith provided readers with a manual for the present and future which gives us practical and intelligent guidance.
It can be called a survival book due to what it’s inside. It is a very short book that can be read more than once if needed. It is practical, interesting and thought provoking. The author’s experiences are essential for writing this book and I believe it is something to highlight. I recommend reading Have we found our better selves? by author Smith.
It can be called a survival book due to what it’s inside. It is a very short book that can be read more than once if needed. It is practical, interesting and thought provoking. The author’s experiences are essential for writing this book and I believe it is something to highlight. I recommend reading Have we found our better selves? by author Smith.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews