“There is a still point at our center, a place we each can go and be safe, even when all hell is breaking loose. Getting there can happen in an instant. Staying there takes a commitment to self-care, to loving yourself, and to forgiving yourself for failing—maybe many times a day. A fast track to that still point is deciding to be our authentic selves ... accepting that, truly, real is better than perfect.”
–Dorothy Baldwin Satten
“Real is Better than Perfect is a profound distillation of wisdom gathered by 30 years of dialoguing with the human soul. It is an insightful road map for those who seek healing of the wounded child within.”
—Joy L. Parker – Co-Author, Maya Cosmos and Woman Who Glows in the Dark
“Simple and profound wisdom—a treasure trove of food for thought. This gem of a book will comfort, entertain, and inspire all readers who take advantage of the opportunity to enrich their lives by reading it.
—Linda K. Williams – Co-Author, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories for a Better World World and Caring and Capable Kids
I met Dorothy during one of those pesky dark periods in life—in this case, in the aftermath of divorce. Despite the cloud hanging over me at the time, within hours of listening to her teach and realizing that a stroke had kept her from putting her healing wisdom to paper, I was determined to help and found help in the process. I followed Dorothy and Mort, her husband and partner in therapy, around the country attending dozens of workshops on psychodrama—a powerful form of group therapy. During these enlightening workshops I wrote down Dorothy’s wisdom teachings which, on the three-year anniversary of our meeting, I presented to her in manuscript form. It was a joyful and tearful moment as her life-long dream of authoring a book was about to be fulfilled!
Sadly, during the course of those three years, Dorothy had been struck by a neurological disease which was diminishing her ability to speak. She was incredibly brave about the diagnosis, and upon sharing it calmly with me one day at the end of a workshop she’d just held in my home state of California, she looked in my eyes and told me, “Time is of the essence.” I felt that urgency like a lightening bolt through my heart and immediately made plans to travel to her in Tucson, Arizona, so we could work together editing the manuscript.
We managed to clear our schedules the very next month, and it was truly a race against time. Language eluded Dorothy more and more each day. Real is Better than Perfect was completed, literally, weeks before Dorothy almost completely lost her ability to speak. I am so grateful for Dorothy’s book and the exceptional wisdom I continue to glean from it, as well as for the precious time we spent together in its preparation. Dorothy’s wisdom was a lifeline for me that eventually led to my being prepared to be in a successful relationship, and to marrying Mel Dinkel, the love of my life. Dorothy and I made each other’s dreams come true, and to her I shall be forever grateful.
—Leslie
