“Life is difficult.” Thus begins the popular book ‘The Road Less Travelled’ by M. Scott Peck (1936-2005), an American psychiatrist. First published in 1978, the book’s simple language lends to easy understanding. Peck draws considerably from his daily clinical practice as evidenced by the innumerable examples sprinkled across the book. In a four part series I briefly explain the tools Peck writes about to achieve mental and spiritual growth; at the outset he mentions he does not distinguish the two. The four tools are discipline, love, growth-religion and grace.

In this final section, Scott Peck details the role of grace in a human’s life. Just as in earlier parts of the book, case studies, anecdotes and even Greek myths are employed to illustrate the importance of grace and its relation to mental health. This article attempts to present a condensed version of the last, yet profound, segment of the book. While I try my best to avoid a piecemeal approach, the subheadings are an endeavor to unite various ideas.  

Continue reading “The Road Less Travelled: Grace (Part 4 of 4)” →