The Best Seat in the Universe

by Grahame Anderson

Genres: Visionary & Metaphysical

Synopsis

Navigate life with The Best Seat in The Universe - the uplifting, life-changing story that has already helped tens of thousands of people discover it's never too late to change direction and improve your life.

Everyone has a turning point in their life; I suspect you will not be an exception. Your life trundles along as normal until one day you have a realisation. You experience an awakening, a moment of clarity that grabs you by the collar and gives you a good shake. It's in this moment you will come to an understanding that your life is no longer acceptable as it is.

Is this your moment?

A simple approach to overcome fear and change your life.
Grahame Anderson shares his unique approach using a powerful story that reveals a profound simplicity that will help you reset your life.

This beautifully woven story begins at the bedside of a dying man who, in his final breath, accidentally pulls his grandson into the afterlife with him. No angels or choirs await him and the bright light he expected was something else completely.

They embark on a behind-the-scenes look at life and observe firsthand the everyday situations we all face. They explore the beauty of life, the complexities of family, how to take control of your destiny and how to make sure it feels true to you at every step. As the old man and his grandson delve deeper into this world beyond the veil, they learn the importance of love, conquering self-doubt, understanding the balance of life and more importantly, they learn the beauty in death. They are both given a chance to change the world before travelling to their ultimate destination, the Best Seat in the Universe.

This simple narrative will help you to follow your dreams, rediscover your purpose, transform your life journey, and head towards the true destiny you've always longed for.

In The Best Seat in the Universe, you'll discover:
- How to take decisive action and control your life
- A simple method to create an easy-to-follow new life plan
- That strengthening your knowledge will reduce confusion
- That transforming your thinking will reduce self-doubt
- How to focus inwards to discover your own truth
- And much more!

Embrace change, combat imposter syndrome and cultivate positive vibes.
The Best Seat in the Universe is a life-changing guide to help you embrace your authentic self. If you like inspirational stories and practical tips for everyday life, motivating messages, thought-provoking concepts and practical approaches, then you'll love this modern-day story packed with mindfulness, self-awareness and ideas for building resilience and inner strength

Embrace the art of living fully and find inspiration in every page.

Release date: December 19, 2024

Publisher: John Murray Press

Print pages: 272

Sample

Everyone has a turning point in their life; I suspect you will not be an exception. Your life trundles along as normal until one day you have a realization. You experience an awakening, a moment of clarity that grabs you by the collar and gives you a good shake. It’s in this moment you will come to an understanding that your life is no longer acceptable as it is.

This was my experience almost twenty-five years ago. I worked hard as a litho printer, operating print machinery in a factory for over twenty years. I earned money, but barely enough to give me a decent living. My car was old, our house had no carpets and most of the furniture had been given to us. All I wanted was a better life for my wife and me.

As I worked another late shift one evening, my awakening moment came rushing towards me. I wasn’t sure quite what had happened to me. I remember standing there, my head reeling, and realizing my life was a constant repeat day after day. From one month to the next nothing ever changed.

In that moment, I knew something cataclysmic had occurred within me. But what was it? What was different about this moment from every previous one? I honestly don’t know, but I recognized one thing: my life had to change.

Not knowing where to turn, a friend suggested the self-help section of my local bookstore. I purchased several life coaching books and devoured them one after another. The advice from these authors was similar: make a plan, create better habits and take action. It all seemed too simple. How was this going to change my life? All the same, I decided if I was going to read what these experts had to say, then I was going to follow their advice.

And so I wrote a plan, adopted new habits and took the first steps towards my transformation. Guess what happened? Nothing. When I say nothing, I mean nothing noticeable in the first few weeks. I continued reading and following their advice. It took another few months, then something wonderful happened within me. Small elements of my life shifted. I knew where I wanted to go because of my plan; I felt positive about myself and began to feel I could achieve anything. I was making clear decisions and was focused on where I was headed. Slowly but steadily, I changed. These inspirational books helped me think for myself and instilled within me a new belief. I had more drive and energy after filling up on my daily dose of positive affirmations. The factory worker who’d wasted so much time had left my head and the new me had taken over with bigger aspirations.

My success grew with each new challenge completed, and with my new habits firmly adopted, I became a different person.

Since leaving that factory floor I’ve run my own business for over twenty years. I’m not successful in comparison to film or rock stars who earn in the super league. But I am in my own small way in terms of where I was to where I decided to be. Over these years I’ve employed a fair number of people, sold websites and digital marketing services to the value of millions of pounds and enjoyed the freedom of never having to go cap in hand to borrow money from a bank manager for a loan. My success is small but at a level most people would like to achieve.

When I cast my mind back, I realize I would never have lived this vastly improved life had I not made a few simple changes because of that pivotal moment all those years before. I still watch many people I know accepting a poor lifestyle when a better, brighter future lies in front of them. All they need to do is reach out and take it.

So that’s my story. What about yours?

Maybe you are barely surviving in tough conditions, trapped in a failed relationship that you can’t get out of. Perhaps you want to change career because your employer has passed you by once too often for promotion. Many people’s lives go around in continuous circles, and it’s hard for them not to feel worn out by the daily grind. And yet, as each new year approaches, you, like many others, probably have simple hopes for your family: you wish for a better life, a little more money, good health and fewer worries. Unfortunately, many people make these same wishes each year and nothing changes. What if, instead of wishing or praying, you implemented a plan of action to propel you forward from where you currently are?

Your reason for wanting to change will differ from that of others, and that’s okay. We all have our own story, our own pains and our own set of circumstances.

My theory is many people stay on the never-ending loop to nowhere because it is easier, regardless of the pain they endure, than it is to want to face change. We know change can be frightening and unsettling, because it’s outside of our day-to-day comfort zone.

Is this your moment? Is this the perfect time to shake up your life and get the life you want?

Deep down you know if you don’t change your current situation you will be in the same position in five or ten years’ time. How will you feel then if nothing has improved? If you avoid these first steps to a better life, you’ll remain where you are, which I suspect is not the happiest place in the world.

Is that the life you want to keep, or do you dream of better?

I’m sure you know change entails pushing boundaries and embracing alternative methods. I hope by reading this book you will come to a recognition that something has to change, and the best thing, of course, is for it to be you. This self-awakening will be a catalyst for you. Without realizing it, by picking up this book you have already taken your first step, which is undoubtedly the hardest. What I want to know is, can you take the second? I’m sure you can. You’ll find that each step forward is not as scary as your thoughts – those ‘imposters’ in your head – would have you believe.

And here comes the saddest fact you’ll read within these pages. Every person deserves a better life in one way or another, but not everyone wants to make it happen. Business people know success leads to more success. If you can take one positive step forward, you can take a second and so on. But business is structured and no one tells the ordinary man or woman how to structure themselves for success. Every step away from your old life is a positive step towards a new one. In a year or two you will look back at this moment and not recognize the person who used to be you. Your only wish will be that you had taken these steps years earlier.

Although this is a self-help book, it isn’t in the traditional sense. I don’t spell out Fifty Ways to Change Your Life or Thirty-Three Secrets Everyone Needs to Know. What I’ve assembled is more subtle. I venture into short stories to help you relate your situation with Jack, my principal character, and his journey through an unusual world. People remember stories better than rules and to-do lists. Each story within these pages is a prompt to take action in an area if you deem it necessary. Not every chapter will suit you as you will have certain strengths already, however there are chapters that will ring true for you and hopefully focus you in ways you never realized.

I believe my methods can help people find direction to plan their futures in a no-nonsense way. The lessons found within my stories are simple and easy to apply. I’m hopeful you’ll find the answers you seek. One last thing: I’d like to set a personal challenge for you as you journey through these chapters with Jack. Like him, I want you to go in search of the Best Seat in the Universe. If you should by chance discover it, you’ll understand what being in charge of your life really means.

Grahame Anderson

The story you are about to read will undoubtedly seem strange. It will sit uneasily in your mind as you try to figure out whether the events discussed could really have happened. You may or may not believe them, and that’s your choice. But let me assure you, everything reported to me convinced me something truly remarkable occurred.

My name is Frank Cohen, and for thirty years I’ve written feature articles for the top-selling glossy magazines in the US. I’ve lived an exciting life with few dull moments and had the privilege to work alongside the power brokers and famous personalities from all sectors, including movies, sports and the political arena. I’ve been on assignment to numerous countries and covered frontline stories of tragic events as they unfolded. To say I’ve lived a blessed life would be an understatement.

However, as some would say, all good things must come to an end, and so after many years of living out of a suitcase my partner gave me an ultimatum: I was to get a job in our home town of Boston or she would leave me.

The high-profile features assigned to me were too involved to cover from my home. I knew my boss would never agree to me working remotely, so I did the respectful thing and gave her my notice.

She’s one hard woman. She threw my resignation back before letting me in on a confidential project our publishing house was working on: a new monthly magazine, based right here in Boston. The position of editor was mine, if I wanted it. Junior reporters would gather the raw stories. My job was to fix, edit and publish them. It seemed the perfect outcome for both parties. My boss gave me six months: ‘Make it happen or we’ll close you down.’

And so I settled into my new office, as the proud and often embarrassed editor of the strangest magazine on the newsstands: Weird, Wonderful, True. A real challenge, especially in this age of everything being delivered online.

Our three reporters were young, keen and full of energy. My position remained as chief sceptic. The reporters loved this weird stuff and would work all hours to meet their deadlines. It wasn’t unusual for them to stay up all night trying to take photos of poltergeists or watch witches perform rituals, visit suspected UFO landing sites and interview people who claimed aliens had examined them.

As the months rolled past, our parent company was astounded at the success of our magazine. Our publisher threw more money at us and instructed us to publish fortnightly. While most publications were losing readership, we were growing at an exponential rate.

Those who knew better at head office had a team build a website that rocketed our traffic with story sharing and social media engagement. This was all far beyond me and in many ways I’m glad I can see my retirement looming in the distance. I’m not the biggest fan of allowing readers to comment on every story at the click of a mouse. However, the additional advertising revenue generated demonstrated the value of online interaction.

Boston life was fantastic. I loved its historical past, the excellent restaurants and endless bars set to entice me. My wife enjoyed our newfound togetherness and life evolved into a more settled pace. Having travelled the world many times over, it surprised me how much I enjoyed exploring my home town. I sketched out my future plan to work for three more years and save for retirement, before passing the reins of the magazine to a colleague with grander ambitions.

The morning I first heard of the remarkable story I’m about to tell you began like any other. The phones were quiet, my email contained mainly spam and my team were all out on assignments. I’d been busy editing a ridiculous article about an alien monster encased in the Arctic ice. Some sketchy images of a frozen dark shape accompanied the editorial. As was the norm, there was nothing clear to see, although our graphics department would sometimes enhance these images to assist the reader. My desk phone rang and our youngest reporter, Suzy, spoke at her usual hundred miles per hour.

‘Suzy, slow down. Take some deep breaths.’

‘Sorry, Frank, I got carried away there. Do you have five minutes?’

‘Sure, what’s happening?’

‘I’ve three projects to complete this week and I can’t be in three different places at once.’

‘What can I do to help?’

‘I had a call from a farmer who claims he took a tour to a dimension beyond this life.’

I shook my head. ‘What the hell does that even mean?’

‘He reckons while his grandfather lay dying, they were connected. Somehow they were pulled into this strange spiritual world together and given a ‘behind the scenes’ look at life. They went in search of – wait till you hear this – “The Best Seat in the Universe”. The guy sounded genuine, I promise.’

‘Genuine!’ I wondered what was in the heads of my reporters. ‘Oh, it doesn’t matter. What’s up with this guy? Why are you telling me?’

‘He’s on your doorstep, Frank. Brought up and lives on a farm near Danvers.’

‘I know Danvers, near Salem. In fact, I’m sure it may have been the original Salem before the town changed its name. Please don’t let this be a witch thing.’

‘It’s not. I wouldn’t normally say this, but this guy sounds plausible. He was going to tell his story to our competitors until I promised him no one less than you would interview him. He knows who you are and likes your work.’

‘Thanks, Suzy, nice to know I’m in charge of this operation. Send me his details and I’ll call him.’

‘Can’t do that. He wants a face-to-face. I said you’d meet him. Remember to take some pictures.’

‘Can’t anyone else go?’

‘No, we’re all tied up on projects. I hope you don’t mind but I checked your diary and said you would be there tomorrow at eleven. I’ll send you his details.’

Next morning I packed my laptop and a few items into a bag and grabbed my trusty old Canon. I still preferred a proper camera to a smartphone, especially when wanting depth of field. I’d use my phone to record our conversation or maybe take some video clips.

I drove to Danvers with the full expectation of yet another wild yarn. The reality of my meeting turned out to be very different. This farmer, Jack Delaney, transfixed me with a story so unique I couldn’t do anything other than believe him.

Danvers is a pretty ‘all-American’ town nestled in the heart of New England. The last time I visited this area was to study the infamous witch trials of the seventeenth century. Once again, I hoped this wasn’t another witch story.

I navigated my way through the small boutique shops to the café, where pastries lined the windows and the aroma of coffee seeped out through the doorway, filling the air. Opposite, an antique bookstore stacked from floor to ceiling tempted me in. Had this been a normal day I could have wasted hours in there, but today I was on a mission. I had to keep focused on the job in hand. My plan was to get a quick outline of this farmer’s story, take a few photos and get out, before spending the rest of the afternoon browsing the antique bookstore or working on my memoir under some tree by the river.

I found Betty’s Deli, our meeting place, which had an open area through the back to a walled garden. The flowers were in full bloom and I chose a table in the corner to avoid being within hearing distance of the other diners. Small birds fought over the crumbs of a sponge cake placed on the bird table. A man dressed in jeans and checked shirt entered and removed his hat. He surveyed the customers and walked up to an elderly gentleman, who shook his head. I signalled to him and he approached my table. He pulled up a chair.

‘Frank?’

‘That’s me.’ I pulled a business card from my wallet and handed it to him.

‘Jack Delaney.’ His handshake was firm and had the feel of someone who’d worked in manual labour for many years. I watched him look me up and down as he took his seat. We engaged in polite conversation while waiting for the coffee to arrive.

Experience had taught me never to launch straight into interview questions. My approach was to create a bond between us, get to know the subject better and let them explore who I am. I’d always found I get further with people if I can build a little trust first.

My preconceptions about Jack being somewhat of a screwball appeared unsubstantiated. As Jack told me various stories about his background, he had an honesty about him that seemed genuine. He was hardworking, and his values were not like those I had come across in the pursuit of fame. He was articulate and polite, and focused on what he believed. I liked his ambition and enthusiasm, which burst from him when he discussed his future. Apparently, this was a direct result of his unusual experience.

I’d read so many strange stories since becoming editor of Weird, Wonderful, True, so much so that nothing surprised me any more. Most stories had already been told in some form or other, with very few original storylines. As soon as someone printed an alien autopsy story, within days another half dozen magazines produced variations on the same topic.

I felt confident in this man and knew he was comfortable with me. ‘Tell me your story, Jack,’ I said. ‘What do you think happened to you?’

‘Not what I think happened to me, but what I know.’

‘Okay, Jack. I have to ask this one question before we start. The story you are about to tell me, is it the truth?’

‘Yes. One hundred per cent. I have no reason to lie to you.’

He spoke with a clarity that surprised me. Most of our story clients can act a little stupid. They add details and embellish as they go, but often all they want to talk about is whether they would get a pay-check or a film deal from their story. This man had no interest apart from telling his story.

I placed my smartphone on the table and pressed record. I did my normal intro of who, where and when. ‘I have with me Jack Delaney from Danvers, Massachusetts, and this is his story. Over to you, Jack.’

Jack cleared his throat and looked around the café. He started slowly at first, and as he gained confidence, his story flowed at pace.

‘The reason I have told few people about this event outside of my family circle is I didn’t want people to think I had issues,’ he began. ‘This happened ten years ago, not long after my twenty-first birthday. I was sure if I mentioned it, people would have me down as some kind of crazy person. I wasn’t the brightest at school and thought everyone would laugh at me, so I kept quiet. But ever since this experience I had, I’ve lived it over and over in my head, and I know I have a story so beautiful I have to share it. People deserve to know what is out there waiting for them.’

He had my attention. I couldn’t help being intrigued, especially when he mentioned he’d kept quiet for years.

‘My grandad lay ill in hospital,’ Jack continued. ‘He meant the world to me. We spent most days together working on our farm, fixing machinery, tending the fields and livestock. Everything I know about farming, he taught me. Mum says from the moment I could walk and talk, Grandad took me everywhere. I never felt so close to another person as I did with him. Not even, I’m sad to say, with my own father.’

Jack’s hands displayed all the evidence of working on a farm. He was a hard worker, for sure. I understood his sentiments towards his grandfather. Everyone has someone in their life who influences them, maybe a family member or an inspirational friend. I always thoug. . .