Carlton Higbie

The Early Train Carlton Higbie

Everyone has a story, but few think much about their story or bother to tell it. This book is a fictionalized account of the author's real-life experiences and observations. The lessons he relates are told from the vantage point of Jonah, a long-time Metro North train commuter from Greenwich, Connecticut to the world of finance in New York City. Encounters and reflections have been condensed into a two week time frame to facilitate the story's narrative. The thread tying the story together are Jonah's reflections on the correlation between the nine beatitudes (from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount) and the nine fruit of the Spirit ( love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control; Galatians 5:22-23). Along the way, Paul, a wise and mysterious train conductor, answers Jonah's questions and guides his thinking. This book was written in part to encourage readers to be aware of their own stories, how they evolve over time, and the importance of building character based on Christian values.