An underdog story of what it means to find success after spending decades doing the wrong things and always looking for a shortcut in life. From being in trouble and struggling with addiction to building skyscrapers in downtown New York City and living the high life, Charlie Gilbert speaks on the rises and falls that led him to a better life of honesty, faith, and pure intentions. This is his story, and it speaks to the testament of man and what it takes to overcome tremendous adversity to achieve tremendous results.
An underdog story of what it means to find success after spending decades doing the wrong things and always looking for a shortcut in life. From being in trouble and struggling with addiction to building skyscrapers in downtown New York City and living the high life, Charlie Gilbert speaks on the rises and falls that led him to a better life of honesty, faith, and pure intentions. This is his story, and it speaks to the testament of man and what it takes to overcome tremendous adversity to achieve tremendous results.
âStrip!â he said. So, I did.
âNow, get in the cell.â
âWhat?â I looked at him like he was crazy. Thatâs not what normally happens. They normally give you a jumpsuit, and some padded foam sandals before sending you into the cage.
But the cop just stood there, looking at me. âGet in the cell, now,â he said.
When he locked the door behind me, it hit me: that uncomfortably familiar feeling of being locked up again. Here we go again, I thought. But, at the same time, I started to ask myself: how did I allow it to get here? How did I get so desensitized, to this?
As soon as the cell door was shut, the cop started being even more of a jerk, asking me how it felt to be a tough guy now that I was in the cell.
I had nothing to say. As I stood in that freezing cage for the next 14 hours, butt naked, all I could do was think about all the ways I wanted to die.
That was the first time I lost everything, but it wouldnât be the last.
Wrapped in Gold by Charles Gilbert is a memoir of redemption from the destructive power of goalless living. So, I firmly believe itâs bound to have a life-changing impact on specific categories of readers worldwide. It also automatically finds a place in the âvital to lifeâ book category! Whatâs unique about the authorâs redemption story is his rather rare personality type: one who thrives when working independently but quickly loses himself when mingling with the wrong crowd, resulting in his slowly drifting back to his former criminal life. When self-realization strikes him, he takes back control and starts working independently, honestly, and diligently. The overwhelming results amaze him and, in the process, he becomes irrevocably attracted to the surpassing sense of triumph, fulfillment, and dignity a âcleanâ life brings. (Who could ever give up the fulfillment a life of integrity, dignity, and self-worth brings?) That âmarriageâ to clean living was forever, and it now fuels his continual pursuit of an upright life.
Ralph Waldo Emersonâs quote, âTo be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment,â aptly describes the authorâs situation in his youth. To gain the acceptance of his peers, he imitated them without regard for the consequences. As a result, he ended up using drugs, drinking excessively, and engaging in petty crime. He was in and out of jail. Tired of this vicious cycle, he ventured into the construction business where he became a tremendous success, personally and financially. This marked the first time he began living a life of fulfillment and purpose through honest work. And he loved it so much that it eventually changed his life, so today, living clean and upright is of utmost importance to him.
Youâll like reading this book because itâs a straight-from-the-heart narrative of the authorâs life. Another notable feature is its brevityâthe average chapter length is just 2-3 pages, making it an easy and engaging read. Remarkably, one of the high points of the book is how it reaffirms Jesusâ all-surpassing teaching on love: âLove your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.â The author echoes this sentiment in the chapter titled âA Room Full of Charliesâ (p. 125): âMy whole thing is this: love hard on everyone. Especially the ones you canât stand.â
In the troubled world we live in, where scores of confused and disoriented people are struggling to make sense of life and discover what will bring true fulfillment, this book offers light and hope. It might even save some who are on the brink of despair.
I recommend it to all who find themselves where the author was in his young days, particularly those who struggle with devastating âheart over headâ issues and cannot strike the right balance between the two.