Hello my dears!
Bless up! We’ve made it to another fine Sunday. Can you believe this marks our 200th edition of Let It Be Sunday!? It’s the most visited post on my site each week and it fills my heart that we hold this space together.
I’ve been a bit quiet and still this week, a result of a little bit of a laparoscopic surgery I had early in the week. I say ‘little bit’ because that’s how I had it situated in my mind, but I’ll tell you what… surgery is surgery and it’s a big deal – if not to my mind then certainly to my body. The good news is, I’m fine! This body is doing an amazing job of healing itself. The other good news is that this week was full of lessons about slowing down and asking for help that my stubborn self is still processing. This week I am truly thankful for a boyfriend that carried me out of bed and friends who came with flowers and groceries and offerings to just sit with me and make me some oatmeal. I feel very fortunate even though I’m still running at about half speed and despite the fact that it still hurts to laugh.
Anyway – how you been?
Here’s the offering this week, I hope you find a thing or two that inspires you to slow down and share more compassion with yourself and others. The first three links are very intense but feel important and very human to me:
• Inside the story of death and survival as the Carr Fire’s tornado of fire stormed Redding – and changed firefighting in a warming California. 150 Minutes of Hell (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Stepping back from the edge: My mom’s suicide changed everything. Here’s how I found hope again. I took this piece in slowly. It’s incredibly raw and honest and deeply important. (USA Today)
• These are the stories about really knowing someone, really living a life with someone, really loving someone, and having to keep on in the world without them. The Last Curious Man. (GQ)
• A divorce lawyer’s guide to staying together. Here’s where this article stopped me in my tracks and made me think: what problem do you have that marriage would solve? YEA. Think on that. This feels like a really important question. (Vox)
• “You wish for love, but when it arrives, you never know how it will look.” How Our Relationship Survived When my Partner Got Sick. There is a lot of honesty and beauty here. Build new fires. (Men’s Health)
• Here’s a list to get your Spotify working: The Best Music of 2018 from NPR.
• Is this true for you? The worst person to shop for is your significant other’s dad. Ok I’m sitting here thinking of what to get for any dad and honestly yea… it’s a tough one. I used to give my dad a homemade coupon book with little tickets for pancake breakfast and a car wash. Can that translate to my boo’s dad? Probably a hard no. But I think what dad’s want most is for us to do nice things for them. (The Week)
• Each year I live in New Orleans I learn a new tradition made special by this place. This year: Reveillon Dinners, a Christmas tradition post- Midnight Mass for Creole Catholics in the city. The tradition was lost from the 1940’s to the 1990’s but it’s come back to life in the city and I’m going to throw my own Reveillon to celebrate the season.
• Come practice yoga with me on January 3rd, take home a sweet bouquet of flowers and a yearly planner from Shrill Society. We’re getting out minds and energy CORRECT for the new year!
• I’ve been resting up for a few days this week and I can confidently say that the show Goliath is fantastic. Both season. Run don’t walk.
• Our dear Julia Turshen’s has a new podcast: Keep Calm & Cook On! It’s a quiet revolution of sweet wisdom and kindness.
• Jon made the most beautiful Baked Brie Bread Wreath and it might be too gorgeous to eat but we should try all the same. (The Candid Appetite)
• Making this for little gifts this year. I’ll just have to keep myself from eating it all. Chocolate Almond Ginger Bark. (Joy the Baker)
• The Best Gifts For Co-Workers Under $30. Thank you, The Cut.
• Literally no more bad hair days. (Fringe+Co)
• The cake above is this gem from Broma Bakery – but I think I told you that last week too.
We good? We great!
My love to you.
xo Joy
Jiim Belohlav
Congratulations on 200! Wishing you a speedy recovery,
Christine Armao
I look forward to Sundays when I can camp out at my favorite coffee shop and read each Let It Be Sunday. This week I was so moved by the second article dealing with suicide. Such an amazing read. And I’m also now looking forward to throwing a Reveillon Dinner in my home this year – keep us posted on your plans for our own inspiration! Thank you for what you do, Joy! See you next week!
Jacquie Gariano
So glad to hearing you are doing well. The hardest part is to let others do for you. Take it easy and let yourself be pampered some. Life returns to “normal” soon enough. My Dad was the hardest person to shop for. He didn’t have hobbies, or read. It was slippers and wallets and sox each year till he had enough to last a lightime. LOL
Christian
I find my boyfriend’s parents pretty easy to please because they’re in the category of people where you can get them some nice chocolates or bake them some fancy cookies and they’ll be cool (especially when they live in another country and said cookies are conveyed to them by their prodigal son). You own Dad is trickier because he’s in the category where the present has to be more *personal* or whatever and he doesn’t know what he wants … ALTHOUGH try giving to my uncle who just doesn’t really like anything (for his bday he asked for a Van Morrison CD that was no longer in production and some BIC biro pens).
Marlena
Thank you for doing this work each and every week! Hope you have a speedy recovery.
Janet George.
Hope you continue to heal and gain back your strength hopefully soon. I always look forward to to your post each week so thank you!
Linda
Joy, hope you are feeling better with each passing day! Love my Sunday mornings reading your posts!
Bryony
Happy to hear you’re hearing up and the surgery went well. I underwent another knee surgery two weeks ago and forcing myself to let recovery happen at it’s own pace and being patient about it is so, so hard. Having good people around always makes recovery easier and I’m glad you have that support system. Thank you for the great links, as always!
Bob Cullum
So sorry to hear you’ve been ‘indisposed’ as my grandmother would say, but I’m glad to hear you’re on the mend. Lots of good links this week, esp on the Revellion dinners Id never heard of. I agree with you on Season 1 of Goliath, but found Season 2 tinged with a little too much ‘Scarface’ vibe for me. Merry Christmas to you and yours and thanks for everything, especially Sundays. The worlds a much nicer place with you in it.
Renee
Did you have an appendectomy? I had the same surgery a month ago and no, it’s no joke. My surgeon said I’d be back on my feet in 3-days tops. I’m a month out and still having terrible nerve pain. I hope your surgery was less complicated and that you’re getting rest. Love and good health to you, and thanks for all the wonderful Sunday cooking and reading inspiration.
Gail
Facebook infidelity – perhaps it will ease the pain to know that my spouse isn’t the only one to fall for the ex-girlfriend he hasn’t seen since college – years ago!
Rena
I am very relieved to read you are fine!
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
http://www.dressedwithsoul.com
Su
I’m sorry it hurts to laugh but at least you are still laughing! You are a joy, Joy!
Gayatri
Thank you for this lovely post and the effort to find great articles even though you just had surgery! Get well soon, Joy!
Joy Dyson
<3 I hope you heal quickly xx