It’s 1976, and my mom and dad are sitting quietly with their eyes closed, hands resting upward — thumb and index finger touching — while my younger siblings crawl on their backs and shoulders. My older two brothers and I sit nearby, holding our own meditation poses, bored, rolling our eyes and counting the minutes until this ritual will end.

At least once a week or whenever things got stressful, my parents would pull all five of their children — ranging in age from ten to one — into our library for a family meditation. As much as I complained, a part of me yearned for this spiritual practice.

With another Father's day arriving today, what does it mean to you? Will you be celebrating, quietly remembering, or is it just another Sunday for you?

“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie

For some of us, having a happy holiday season feels daunting or even close to impossible. It seems that no matter how hard we work to insulate ourselves against our issues around home and family, the tunnel from Thanksgiving to New Years is a minefield loaded with hidden traps, double agents and too many opportunities to self-destruct or rip open old wounds and old injuries.

Thanksgiving can be a tough time for people. I lost my father almost six years ago, and his birthday often falls on Thanksgiving (this year it’s the day before), so I always miss the way he’d finagle my leftover turkey sandwich out of my hot, little hands and into his. Many of you miss loved ones on Thanksgiving - or the holiday reminds you of the person who abandoned you - or the husband that betrayed you - or the perfect mother you never had. It’s easy to let Thanksgiving devolve into a pityfest.