Life is full of random flashes of lightning — events and comments that may seem meaningless, but that may well be the foundations of ideas that can make a refreshing difference in our lives.

Like the time a visitor made an ill-received “insulting” remark about Mount Rainier, outside Seattle. What could be so significant about a mountain, and what does it mean to you and me?

Or your choice of paper on which to write your child’s absence note. How does the choice of stationery send a message for a lifetime?

Or the condition of the guy wires that support a radio tower. What does a radio tower tell us, aside from the latest news and weather forecasts?

Avi Shulman has a keen ear that hears nuances and a wise eye that foresees consequences, pleasant and otherwise. He understands and loves people and he views life through the prism of Torah values. In his long career as a teacher, writer, lecturer, and consultant, he has brought new and constructive slants on life to many hundreds of people. Many a successful professional credits an Avi Shulman seminar as a turning point in his life. Countless parents and teachers agree that his techniques, insights, guidance, and anecdotes have shed new light on the dilemmas that seemed unsolvable. How many “problem” children have thrived thanks to the inimitable Avi Shulman influence on the adults in their lives? We will never know, but the numbers are huge.

Pick up this book and you’ll see why. The reading is easy and the contents will bring an occasional chuckle and a frequent nod of recognition. In his seemingly casual way, Avi Shulman shows himself still to be a master teacher — and we will enjoy being his students.