Described as “Tuesdays with Morrie" meets Georgia O’Keefe, "The Grace of Ordinary Days" by poet Kay Saunders and nature photographer Bernie Saunders is a rare glimpse into the separate but inextricably linked lives of a mother and son. Contemplative poetry and stunning flower photography are woven together by a narrative thread in two voices. Mother and son retell their versions of memories from a shared past and how each perceived them differently. The stories shed light and perspective that leads to understanding and forgiveness. "The Grace of Ordinary Days" can help us to love better, and remind us of our own beauty, truth and passion.
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A wonderful gift for anyone who loves the beauty of the written word -- and the phenomena of God's flowers. --Connie Anderson, Armchair Interviews, October 5, 2005
About the Author
Kay Saunders is the author of three poetry books, "A Whippoorwill Calls for Memories", "Only the Footprints Are Gone", "Letters From The Other Side", along with "Gift of the Stranger: Creativity, a Force for Change", which chronicled her experiences in teaching writing to nursing home residents. She died on December 8, 2003 at the age of 85. Kay kept a notebook and pen by her bedside as a rest stop, a way of negotiating pain and celebrating her sense of wholeness and compassion. She was married to George Saunders for sixty-three years, and lived in Appleton, Wisconsin. Bernie Saunders, founder of the Center For Living Art, believes that life is truly a work of art. He is a professional photographer, internationally recognized author having co-authored, "Ten Steps to a Learning Organization," and the author of his signature personal enrichment program, "Boundless Renewal: Embrace the Power of Reflection." He is a highly regarded speaker, with over thirty years of experience working in the field of human development. Bernie received his most profound education from playing in the woods as a child, experimenting with a camera his father gave him as a young teen, planting rice in the Philippines, working with young adult drug addicts, raising two sons, and guiding community and business leaders to become “servant leaders.” He lives near Minneapolis with his wife Constance.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Grace of Ordinary Days,
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This review is from: The Grace of Ordinary Days (Hardcover)
I've given copies of this book to friends who open it randomly, read one poem, then another, look up with a deep smile, and hold the book as if holding a treasure. Kay's poems and Bernie's expressive and sensitive photography go directly to the heart. They both speak the language of What is True.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful gift of the written word!,
By Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Grace of Ordinary Days (Hardcover)
In midlife, mother Kay and son Bernie, 50-ish, found a way to pass a gift on to all of us. Kay started writing poetry and Bernie became a professional photographer; a major career shift for him, but a dream come true.
When the book became a reality, Kay was in her 80s. Her poetry, about life's transitions for her and her children, is powerful, passionate, pithy ... and oh so reflective. You know she has hit your emotional button when you find yourself nodding or saying, hmmmmm. She writes beautifully of forgiveness, hope, dreams and reality. So many of the poems touched my heart. One of my favorites is about waiting for her son to come home -- after he had been out way past curfew. As a writer and editor, my favorite is "In My House of Words," where she describes what nouns, verbs and other parts of speech do. Kay tells us that after midnight they tightly join hands and make lovely lonely sounds in the dark. What an image of the value and power of words! Bernie's amazing photographs of flowers are close, close-ups. You hardly realize -- until you dwell on the photo, that it is the fold of a rose, the curled-up dying iris, or the center of an orchid. This merging of words and photographs gives the reader "nothing ordinary," in The Grace of Ordinary Days -- the author's invitation to celebrate life's journey. Kay died before Bernie could have the book published. He found the closeness he and his father shared while working together to birth Kay's legacy a gift beyond words. Armchair Interviews says The Grace of Ordinary Days is a wonderful gift for you or someone who loves the beauty of the written word -- and the phenomena of God's flowers.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
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This review is from: The Grace of Ordinary Days (Hardcover)
Absolutely a book for all occassion. The writings and photography is meditative and exciting. It's a must get for self and gift-giving.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
It is true that women of the world give birth, and it is a mighty tiling. Read the first page New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
It is true that women of the world give birth, and it is a mighty tiling. Read the first page New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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