“Here One Moment: A Hero’s Journey Through Fate, Fear, and the Stories We Tell Ourselves”
By Peter de Kuster
Introduction: When Death Whispers Your Name, What Story Will You Live?
Liane Moriarty’s Here One Moment thrusts readers onto a delayed flight where an unremarkable woman, Cherry, delivers chillingly precise death predictions to strangers. As passengers grapple with their newfound expiration dates, Moriarty dissects the tension between destiny and free will. For creative leaders, this novel is a provocation: you are the storyteller of your own life. Will you let fear script your next chapter, or rewrite fate with courage?
Plot Summary: From Prediction to Purpose
The novel opens on a Hobart-Sydney flight delayed by hours. Cherry, an actuary grieving her husband Ned’s sudden death, enters a delirious state and predicts how each passenger will die—some laugh (age 103!), but six face imminent doom. Months later, as her predictions begin to materialize, panic erupts. Cherry, horrified by her unintended notoriety, retreats into isolation until a near-tragedy involving a boy named Leo forces her to confront her role as the “Death Lady”.
Through intersecting narratives—including Ethan, a man fleeing his past, and Stephanie, a mother fearing for her daughter—Moriarty explores how knowledge of death reshapes lives. Cherry’s actuarial skills (not psychic powers) underpin her predictions, yet her grief becomes the catalyst for redemption. By tutoring Leo’s daughter Bridie and helping others face their fears, she transforms her curse into a gift.
The Hero’s Journey in Here One Moment
Reflections for Creative Leaders at Every Stage
| Stage | Novel Moment | Reflection for Creative Leaders |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ordinary World | Cherry’s quiet grief post-Ned’s death | What loss has frozen your creativity? |
| 2. Call to Adventure | Cherry’s involuntary predictions on the flight | What unexpected crisis demands reinvention? |
| 3. Refusal of the Call | Cherry’s denial of her impact (“I’m not a psychic!”) | Where does imposter syndrome silence your voice? |
| 4. Meeting the Mentor | Mira, Leo’s mother, who bridges Cherry’s isolation | Who reminds you that connection heals? |
| 5. Crossing the Threshold | Cherry publicly denies her “powers” | What bold truth have you avoided speaking? |
| 6. Tests, Allies, Enemies | Surviving passengers’ rage and pleas | How does external chaos mirror internal conflict? |
| 7. Approach to the Inmost Cave | Cherry’s guilt over Ned/Jill/Bert’s deaths | What grief have you buried beneath work? |
| 8. Ordeal | Leo nearly crushed by machinery; Cherry intervenes | When has instinct overridden logic to save your purpose? |
| 9. Reward | Bridie’s trust reawakens Cherry’s joy | What small act reignites your creative spark? |
| 10. The Road Back | Tutoring Bridie; reconciling with her past | How do you rebuild after creative burnout? |
| 11. Resurrection | Cherry embraces her role as a “guide” | When has service to others redeemed your pain? |
| 12. Return with the Elixir | Cherry finds peace in impermanence | What wisdom will you share from your storms? |
Conclusion: The Alchemy of Impermanence
Here One Moment teaches that leadership is not about controlling the narrative—it’s about surrendering to its twists. Cherry’s journey reveals that our greatest power lies not in avoiding endings, but in how we choose to live before them. For creative leaders, the lesson is clear: your legacy is written in the moments you dare to care deeply, even when time feels scarce.
Questions to Take Away
- What “flight delay” (crisis) is forcing you to confront your mortality?
- How does your “actuarial mind” (logic) limit your creative risks?
- What “Cherry prediction” (fear) have you mistaken for fate?
- Who is your “Bridie” (mentee) needing your imperfect guidance?
- What story will you tell when time runs out?
Story Coaching Offer: Rewrite Your Fate
For leaders ready to:
- Confront creative mortality (procrastination, self-doubt)
- Transform predictions (critics, algorithms) into fuel
- Lead with legacy in times of uncertainty
Benefits
- Identify your “expiration dates” (limiting beliefs, deadlines)
- Develop “Cherry’s clarity” to distinguish fear from intuition
- Craft stories that outlive your doubts
Pricing
- Full Story Coaching Session (2 hours): €295 (excl. VAT)
- Express Session (1 hour): €195 (excl. VAT)
Contact: peter@wearesomeone.nl
You are the predictor. The survivor. The storyteller.
Your moment begins here.
What is Your Story? 