Are We There Yet? Week 21

Last week, I wrote about suffering and the illness that my puppy had.  The puppy, Hope, is fine and I received a lot of emails expressing hopes that she was okay.   I also received a number of other comments about how to help mitigate those feelings and a number of the comments touched on having gratitude.  Gratitude means the state of being grateful. Even in the midst of suffering, having and expressing gratitude has a powerful impact on our wellbeing.  For me, if I focus on gratitude, I can find a large list of people, communities, and even lucky circumstances that have played an important role in who I am and what I have.  

I’ll tell you about one event for which I am very grateful.   Thirty-two years ago, I met Leonard Wolf for the first time by luck.  I was interviewing with someone he was meeting for lunch.  My interview ran late and she needed to use the restroom before they left for lunch.  Len was seated at her desk waiting for her and my resume was there in front of him.   He asked her if he could contact me and the rest is history.  We have a wonderful friendship and a business partnership that has served us both well.   (I think he feels the same way.) I’m grateful that he had lunch with his friend that day thirty-two years ago and for our friendship and business partnership since then.

I hope that you can think about those things for which you are grateful and the ways that they have brought joy to your life.

This week’s selections are below:

READING

Grown Ups by Marian Keyes 

The Caseys are a glamorous family.  Johnny Casey, his two brothers, Ed and Liam, their beautiful talented wives and all their kids spend a lot of time together. And they’re a happy family.  Under the surface, though, conditions are murkier.   While some people clash, other people like each other far too much.  Everything stays under control until Ed’s wife, Cara, gets a concussion and can’t keep her thoughts to herself.  One careless remark at Johnny’s birthday party, with the entire family present, starts Cara spilling out all their secrets. In the subsequent unraveling, every one of the adults finds themselves wondering if it’s time, finally, to grow up.

VIDEO

Upload (Amazon Prime)

In this hilarious new sci-fi comedy, people can upload their consciousness to a luxurious digital afterlife.  When party boy Nathan gets uploaded to a virtual resort, he meets down to earth Nora who starts off as his customer service angel but becomes so much more as she helps him find friendship, love and purpose.