In the aftermath of being wronged, forgiveness can seem like an elusive, almost fantastical notion. Whether facing infidelity in a relationship, betrayal by a friend, or any other type of pain from the past, it can feel unfair that we have to do the work to find forgiveness and move past it.

And even though it is supremely difficult, it is entirely possible.

Here’s how to start.

First, you feel the aching sting, the shame, and the ever-present pain of holding on to the past. …

For several years, one of my favorite daily rituals has been taking a walk through our property’s cathedral-like aspen grove intricately interspersed with majestic Douglas-fir trees. These arboreal walks sustain and enliven each day, from the buttery, yellow-leafed spring to the frosty, snow-covered winter.

As I recently weaved my way through the fairy-tale land of flora and fauna, I started to think about how the interconnectedness of trees acts as a metaphor for life and the collective interconnectedness of every living (and even non-living) species.

I remembered how, shortly after we moved into our cabin surrounded by towering conifers, my husband remarked, “It is so amazing to be surrounded by aspens, which look like individual trees but which are all connected underground by one invisible root.” …

On a brilliant and almost blindingly sunny morning, we awoke to three inches of fresh crystalline snow blanketing our mountain landscape, gently weighing down the yearling trees that are spreading throughout the meadow. It was a day that would prove to be a vibrant celebration of nature in its apparent beauty and mysterious phenomena.

“More sledding!” my son shouted excitedly as he pressed his face against the icy window, the sun streaming in rippling waves above his white-blonde head.

My husband rushed in with firewood from this chilly start to the day. “Aurora, look!” he exclaimed. “Fresh fox tracks all around the house; they wind up to the garage and out beyond the old outhouse!”

I scrambled up from the couch, knocking two green pillows to the ground, and spotted the fox tracks winding around our muddy Silverado, making their way over to where our beloved squirrel family has been peacefully hibernating since the bizarre snow storm in September. I pulled on my navy blue snow pants and boots as my husband and son were finishing up breakfast, adjusting my winter hat down over my ears, and went outside to get a closer look at the fresh tracks. …

We have moved beyond 2020, a calamitous year for our shared world, and into 2021 with hopeful hearts, renewed vigor, and expanded perspectives for the future, in the best possible circumstances.

In honor of the new year, here are 22 books covering everything from history, creativity, self-development, attachment theory, animals, philosophy, and parenting with a side of self-love, making up an internal bookshelf filled to the brim with wisdom that resonates through the ages yet enlivens our world today and tomorrow.

22 Life Lessons From 22 Enlivening Books:

Lessons and Reflections on Humanity

1. From Caste, by Isabel Wilkerson: The price of privilege is the moral duty to act when one sees another person treated unfairly. …

We meet many kindred spirits throughout our lives, some human, some animal. And my rescue companion, Rose, is undeniably special.

It started the day I met Rose at an animal shelter.

I briefly stopped in on my way home from work to “look,” you know? Famous last words. I was standing by the small animal habitats admiring the latest fancy rats while deliberating that just maybe it was time to welcome another pair of fuzzy friends into our lives.

An excited volunteer breezed into the room. “Have you seen the puppy??” she asked.

Then another volunteer hurried by, but not before exclaiming, “I’m on intake today, but there is a puppy in the house, room 3!” …

It’s no secret that the internet has radically changed our society and lives. We depend on technology more than ever, and this was never more apparent than when the unthinkable recently happened: our home lost internet.

This may not sound like a big deal, but for my husband and me, who both work from home, him as a video director, me as a writer, and our son with remote learning, our lives were thrown out of balance. In the end, I am so glad that they were.

A Day Without Internet: The Experiment Begins

The problem started on a Friday with the internet signal slowing down and, by Sunday afternoon, we had completely lost connectivity. The first unexpected repercussion came when I tried to modify our online household supply lists; no internet, no lists. But then I thought, do I really need to work on these lists right now, today? The answer was no; it was more of a habit to think of something and add it to the coming week’s list (and I suppose it was also a bit of a dopamine kick of instant gratification). And I recalled that jotting down a few reminders in one of my many writing notebooks worked just as well. …

At the dawn of each new year, our species sets out to improve ourselves as we decide to eliminate unhealthy habits and instill healthy ones. This year, this time it will work, we think if I can find the time.

And while generally, those grand New Year’s resolutions tend to focus on physical health, the most significant and worthwhile changes come when we set our sights on an inner transformation that branches out to encompass our emotional, mental, and spiritual selves, which influence our physical being. …

One hundred and twenty years ago (at least), my family’s native community started an annual November Harvest Celebration with traditional dance, songs, storytelling, and food, every year without fail. It takes place on the Qualla Boundary, a land trust purchased in the 1870s for the Cherokee but which remains under federal protective trust; it is not a government reservation. Source

I grew up an hour outside of this boundary, and at the time, my grandfather and his siblings who remained on the federally purchased lands continually reminded my brother and me that while Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude and appreciation for many, it is also a time of deep mourning for native people. I still feel this deep sense of mourning for my native ancestors and feel torn when it comes time to celebrate Thanksgiving. …