2020 has been a rough year. We've been challenged, we've struggled, we've lost, but we've also persevered. Thanksgiving is coming up, and finding things to be grateful for may seem like a greater struggle than normal. However, with a little patience, some reflection, (and maybe some meditation, on your porch, with a bottle of wine....), we can still find things to be thankful for.
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will forever be one of my favorite things. As a child, I was enthralled by the symmetry of the Rockettes, as an adult, I'm amazed at their ability to do what they do in heels. I miss the extended family Thanksgiving, the chaos of Aunts and Uncles trying to one-up each other, the poker games, the cussing over football, my Grandpa sneaking me shots of Jack Daniels from his bar in the basement, and my Grandma's Trifle and Hawaiian Salad. These days Thanksgiving is my family gathering at my parent's house, where my kids run rampant, and my husband vanishes to the upstairs, as I help my parents cook, (I prefer my bird to be stuffed with oranges, onions, and fresh herbs by the way), and where my sister will appear from nowhere when it's time to eat.
I'm grateful for the memories and for every opportunity to make more.
When we think about Thanksgiving we contemplate history, the autumn harvest, and, of course, eating turkey and watching football. But most of all, we think about family, friends, and the bounty of our country. Edward Bleier’s The Thanksgiving Ceremony introduces a brand-new tradition for the Thanksgiving table, offering a wonderful way for all Americans to give thanks and rejoice in the sense of togetherness and community this special holiday brings.
"While on her way to teach a yoga retreat in March 2014, Rachel Brathen collapses at an airport, brought to her knees by excruciating stomach pains. She is rushed to the hospital on the tiny island of Bonaire, and hours later forced to undergo surgery. When she wakes up from anesthesia, her boyfriend is weeping at her bedside. While Rachel was struck down with seemingly mysterious pain, her best friend, Andrea, sustained fatal injuries as a result of a car accident. Rachel and Andrea had a magical friendship. Though they looked nothing alike -- one girl tall, blond, and Swedish, the other short, brunette, and Colombian -- everyone called them gemelas: twins. Over the three years following Andrea's death, at what might appear from the outside to be the happiest time -- with her engagement to the man she loves and a blossoming career that takes her all over the world -- Rachel faces a series of trials that have the potential to define her life. Unresolved grief and trauma from her childhood make the weight of her sadness unbearable. When Rachel and her husband conceive a child, pregnancy becomes a time to heal and an opportunity to be reborn herself. As she recounts this transformative period, Rachel shares her hard-won wisdom about life and death, love and fear, what it means to be a mother and a daughter, and how to become someone who walks through the fire of adversity with the never-ending practice of loving hard and letting go"-- Publisher's description.
The Danes have hygge. The Swedes have lagom. Now, Laura Weir, a beloved lifestyle journalist and editor-in-chief of London Evening Standard's weekly ES magazine introduces American readers to the Brits' best-kept secret-coziness-an indulgent, luxurious, yet unfussy way of creating comfort and joy. Cosy is "the slacker's guide to staying at home, an antidote to peak frazzle." With trademark Anglo cheekiness, Laura Weir perfectly captures the British essence of cosy. She celebrates socks, warms to the joys of toasty open fires, and extols the virtues of a quiet walk, ultimately enticing us all to create the British magic of cosy in our everyday lives. With more than 140 whimsical illustrations and interviews with British lifestyle experts, including Melissa Hemsley, Sophie Dahl, and Dolly Alderton, Cosy is a perfect reminder to slow down, have a cuppa, and settle in when life pushes you into overdrive.
The author of the multiple award-winning "Grounded" and leading trend spotter in contemporary Christianity explores why gratitude is missing as a modern spiritual practice, offers practical suggestions for reclaiming it, and illuminates how the shared practice of gratitude can lead to greater connection with God, the world, and people's souls.
"The definitive guide that teaches you how to use the Japanese concept of wabi sabi to reshape every area of your life and find happiness right where you are. Fed up with the exhausting challenges of our fast-paced, consumption-driven existence, millions of people around the world are turning to timeless cultural traditions to find true meaning. In this transformative handbook, Beth Kempton introduces you to wabi-sabi (”wah-bi sah-bi”), a captivating concept from Japanese aesthetics that offers a whole new way of looking at the world. With roots in Zen and the Way of Tea, wabi sabi teaches you to see the beauty in imperfection, appreciate simplicity, and accept the transient nature of all things. It inspires you to simplify everything and concentrate on what truly matters. Filled with simple yet profound wisdom, Wabi Sabi will help you slow down, reconnect with nature, and be gentler on yourself. From honoring the rhythm of the seasons to creating a welcoming home, from reframing failure to aging with grace, Wabi Sabi teaches you to find more joy and inspiration throughout your perfectly imperfect life"-- Provided by publisher.
Reclaiming the tradition of giving thanks before the evening meal, a collection of 365 blessings, contemplations, and graces from a variety of religious traditions is organized by seasons and includes contributions from religious leaders around the world. 30,000 first printing.
Hygge (loosely translated as "coziness") is centered around the idea of inviting comforting elements into day-to-day routines while creating warmth, community, and intimacy. The hygge life does more than just explain this philosophy, it teaches you how to apply hygge to all aspects of life throughout the year, from elevating your morning with perfectly brewed coffee to impromptu gatherings with family and friends to making an oasis at home, by offering ideas for decorating and self-care.
How can we apply philosophy to our everyday lives? Can philosophy affect the way we live? This book will show how philosophy can help to improve your thinking about everyday life. And how, by improving the quality of your thinking, you can improve the quality of your life. It will make you more aware of what you think and why, and how knowing this can help you can change the way you think about your life. Full of practical examples and straightforward advice, and written by an expert in the field, this guide can help you become calmer and happier, and make better decisions.
Thankful, by bestselling and award-winning children's author Eileen Spinelli, combines charming rhymes and whimsical illustrations to convey the importance of being thankful for everyday blessings.
This accessible, wholesome board book is perfect for teaching babies and toddlers how to count their blessings every day. With simple, graspable text that inspires mindful thinking, and warm, vibrant illustrations, For Giving Thanks will fill children's minds with positive thoughts and help them appreciate life's special gifts.
(Note: I LOVE this book!)
Everyone's a New Yorker on Thanksgiving Day when young and old rise early to see what giant new balloons will fill the skies for Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Who first invented these "upside-down puppets"? Meet Tony Sarg, puppeteer extraordinaire! In brilliant collage illustrations, Caldecott Honor artist Melissa Sweet tells the story of the puppeteer Tony Sarg, capturing his genius, his dedication, his zest for play, and his long-lasting gift to America--the inspired helium balloons that would become the trademark of Macy's Parade. Winner of the 2012 Robert F. Sibert Medal and the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award.
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