Everything has Meaning

What the Tree Stand Murders Taught me About Life, Death, and Destiny

Non-Fiction - Cultural
266 Pages
Reviewed on 12/12/2022
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

Author Biography

When two tons of truck smashed into his vehicle, Scott Roux's life would never be the same. Leaving the hospital with a broken foot, severe headache and a sore back, Scott thought all he had to do was heal.

But traumatic brain injury would change his life forever.

Losing his short-term memory and his ability to continue as an executive salesman, his comprehension dropped to a third-grade level. How could he continue his life when he wasn't who he used to be? How did Scott discover the importance of eagles in indigenous religions, which view them as spirit messengers?

Scott used his passion for life and his Native American heritage to push himself forward in the face of crippling circumstances. Now he shares his secrets to a fulfilling life with you.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Susan van der Walt for Readers' Favorite

Everything Has Meaning: What the Tree Stand Murders Taught me About Life, Death, and Destiny is the memoir of Scott Roux. He was raised as a Catholic but also inherited his Ojibwe roots from his mother. He started exploring his Native American heritage and discovered the beliefs, traditions, and wisdom of the Ojibwe tribe. An aspect that stood out was the importance of eagles in indigenous religions, which view them as spirit messengers. Roux describes many of his encounters with eagles, most being contrary to an eagle's nature. The Ojibwe believe that eagles bring messages of comfort and guidance, and Roux experienced this during many traumatic experiences in his life.

I loved the facts that Scott Roux shared concerning eagles, including explaining how they can glide on hot air currents. The Tree Stand Murders - a significant event in his life - led to his father's death from PTSD. Looking back over his life, Roux realized that every event had meaning - the murders, his father's death, and the brain injury caused by a car accident. All our experiences prepare us for the future and give us purpose in life. The Ojibwe values of love, respect, bravery, truth, honesty, humility, and wisdom are shared by many religions (albeit expressed differently) and should be embraced by all. I admired the way Roux found a new direction by helping others after the brain injury that robbed him of his career. Everything Has Meaning teaches us that nothing that happens is random, but the events contribute to the meaning we discover in life.