The Art of Family

Book excerpt: It is not the lack of time that crushes our family lives; it is the lack of presence, overwhelmed as we are with the tasks, anxieties, and guilt of being in a family. Between working, housecleaning, and parenting, how do we carve out a minute for ourselves? How can we give ourselves to our spouses and children in the conditions we find ourselves in? Gina Bria writes, This is how: by being presentnot in every moment [were tired enough!]but in key daily activities such as play, spiritual discussions, tender physical attention, and little daily rituals that can see us through the pace of life today to a strong, coherent, lived family life. With a warm, compassionate tone, anthropologist, nutritionist, and public speaker Gina Bria provides ideas for creating families that withstand the pressures of modern society. The key is creating a personal family culture around the domestic rituals associated with family, such as making your home your true haven from the outside world, really understanding how to play with your children and in your marriage, caring for each others bodies (young and old!) and finding a spiritual path to travel together. In essence, Gina Bria shows us how to assign meaning to everyday tasks, which builds a family that withstands conformity, rejection and conflict.