Let It Be Sunday, 200!

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