Magical Journey: An Apprenticeship in Contentment
by Katrina Kenison
Hardcover- N/A

"No longer indispensable, no longer assured of our old carefully crafted identities, no longer beautiful in the way we were at twenty or ...

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  "...one of our best book group discussions!" by StephanieDouglas (see profile) 01/18/14

Magical Journey does just that...it takes you on an inner journey and makes you look at yourself and your life with fresh, insightful and new eyes. Life is a journey...and this book led our book group into one of the most open, honest and engaging conversations that we had ever had.

 
  "Magical Journey" by Book-Om (see profile) 01/25/14

This lovely memoir is an honest yet beautiful account of our changing roles in life! When you read Katrina\'s books, you feel as if you have been friends with her for years. Pull up a comfy chair, make a cup of tea, and enjoy your journey with her!

 
  "Perfect Company on My Own Journey" by melissaanne (see profile) 01/25/14

My copy of Magical Journey is dog-eared, highlighted and sitting in wait next to my bed for those moments when I need to feel less alone on my own journey as a mother, spouse, and human being. Katrina writes in a language that resonates with my desire to feel connected to a larger purpose. If you are part of a book club that is looking to delve deeper into what it means to be fully engaged with life and the journey you are on, I would highly recommend this book.

 
  "Feels like a best friend is taking you by the hand..." by Jewelkat (see profile) 01/25/14

Katrina Kenison has done it again with her memoir Magical Journey! I felt as if she were writing about my own journey on this middle phase of my live! With universal themes of parenthood, marriage,loss of beloved friends, caring and loving our aging parents,and ultimately learning to be at peace with ourselves Katrina takes us by the hand as she shares her Magical Journey. Won't you come along? All you need is a comfy place to sit and her new memoir, MAGICAL JOURNEY! Your soul will thank you!

 
  "Magical journey" by Carolynr (see profile) 01/25/14

I love the way Katrina writes...everything is so down to earth, sometimes when you read words like insightful and inspiring you might be tempted to think it will be a preachy kind of book. Not so! Katrina writes about the everyday issues we all go through, making no claims to have the answers. It's a book you will reread because every year you are at a different place in your life

 
  "A Journey to Now" by ElizabethMarro (see profile) 01/25/14

The strength of this wonderfully written book lies in Katrina Kenison's ability to articulate the journey that we all experience sooner or later. Here are some of the thoughts I had when I first read the hard cover and some of the reasons I plan to give the paperback as a gift to my sisters and friends when it becomes available. It's one of those books I, and they, will likely pick up again and again, just to read a passage or two, the way one would pick up the phone and call an old friend just to know one is not alone.

I lost myself for a few days in the story of Katrina Kenison's journey. It was triggered by a convergence of events that unfold for all of us in one form or another: the unexpectedly premature flight of her youngest son from the nest, the loss of her friend, the end of a job she had loved, the approach of menopause, and the impending arrival of her 50th birthday. Among other things.

When these events are listed like this, it is perhaps tempting to say, “that’s life isn’t it?” Children grow, friends die or leave, our bodies change, and we get older. I’ve said this to myself, usually when I am feeling anxious or worried or unbearably sad. I see it now as an attempt to sidestep the emotions that come with loss and the unrelenting reminders that nothing, absolutely nothing, is permanent. I am learning the long, slow, hard way that the key to growth and peace lies in how I respond to that single, incontrovertible fact.

In “Magical Journey,” Kenison is a pilgrim in the land of impermanence. As I read her book, I felt as though I were taking each step with her, sometimes forward, sometimes back, and sometimes into familiar territory. When she described finding herself suddenly untethered to the daily routines of childcare, I remembered the first year after my son went away to school. when coming home from work meant coming home to a lonely silence and a strange, unsettling feeling that I often tried to ignore by throwing myself into work or hitting the gym. Like Katrina, I came to understand that the crack in what she calls the container we’ve built for ourselves represents both an ending and the beginning of whatever is next.

 
  "A Must Read............" by kearsty3 (see profile) 01/25/14

Katrina\\\'s words made me feel that I was not alone in this transition time of life: growing children, older parents, long time marriage. A read and reread book for sure!

 
  "Magical Journey: An Apprenticeship in Contentment" by Bovary (see profile) 01/25/14

I would give this book 10 stars if I could! Katrina Kenison is one of the truly wise writers of our era. She is honest and articulate and moving and inspiring. If you are someone who thinks about your life, and how to make it deeply satisfying and meaningful, read this book!

 
  "An inspirational guide to "what is next" after raising children" by lauriequilter (see profile) 01/25/14

As I read this book I was struck by the beauty of the writing. The stories that the author shares about her journey are relevant to any transition in life, but were particularly relevant to the transition from mother of young kids to grown, and how we find a new role and place in the world. I found that I wanted to read this slowly, with a highlighter in hand to help me to absorb and remember the many messages that I was relating to and finding significant and relevant. this is a book that I will go back to again and again, as these lessons take time to practice and make a part of our lives. This book would make very good discussion material for book groups, particularly among women whose children are leaving the 'nest'. These are topics that all mothers can relate to, and the author provides much food for thought and meaningful discussion.

 
  "Te Be Read and Re-Read" by Book-Om (see profile) 01/25/14

This lovely memoir chronicles the changing roles we all encounter in our lives. Reading Katrina\'s books is like listening to a good friend; you feel like you have known her your entire life. Pull up a comfy chair, make a cup of tea, and enjoy the journey with Katrina!

 
  "Magical Journey: An Apprenticeship in Contentment" by merlewhirl (see profile) 01/25/14

Treat yourself. Sit in your coziest spot, with a cup of your favorite beverage, and drink in this beautifully written memoir. You will laugh and cry, ponder and exclaim. You will relate to Katrina's story and find connections to your own. Relish it and then share it with all your friends.

 
  "Lyrical" by Msennour (see profile) 01/25/14

Katrina has a wonderful way with words.

 
  "Magical Journey" by DoreenFelde (see profile) 01/26/14

So happy this book is now in paperback so I can purchase several copies for family and friends. I read my copy several times a year, always learning something about my journey as I turn each beautiful, inspiring page.

 
  "magical" by ranyamike (see profile) 01/26/14

 
  "Magical Journey" by SarahVSW (see profile) 01/26/14

Katrina Kenison's Magical Journey is opening my heart in my 40's in the same way Judith Viorst's Necessary Losses opened my heart in my 20's.

 
  "Beautiful midlife memoir" by pattiipitch (see profile) 01/26/14

A welcome midlife read. Wise and thoughtful, it was a beautiful book to read as my last child went off to college.

 
  "Beautiful Journey" by magicaljourney (see profile) 01/26/14

This book offers a beautiful insightful description to lives journey.

 
  "Magical Journey" by lynne32 (see profile) 01/26/14

A thought provoking and heartfelt account of facing the challenges and opportunities that a changing life brings. This book is honest and inspiring and leaves you feeling that you are not alone. I would highly recommend this book which will leave you with the courage to step out into an unknown future.

 
  "A Book to Treasure" by Becca_Rowan (see profile) 01/26/14

Kenison’s writing was like balm for my soul. I’ve never dog-eared so many pages in a book before – there was something on every page that spoke directly to my heart.

I keep a copy on my bedside table, and turn to it again and again.

 
  "Magical Journey" by AmyVE (see profile) 01/26/14

This heartfelt, candid, soulfully written memoir contains a veritable gold mine of universal wisdom, beauty, and truth. Katrina Kenison gently articulates the deep questions we ask ourselves as we grow through life, and the realizations and loving conclusions she comes to will resonate with readers, no matter where they may find themselves along life's path.

 
  "Beautiful and Relevant" by hlcalma (see profile) 01/26/14

Though I am not experiencing the same life challenges that Katrina writes so beautifully about (I am still in the midst of young children, soccer games, basketball practices, and preschool.), everything she writes resonates with all of my fears, my insecurities, and my anxieties about watching my children grow, about letting them go little by little, and about what my life will be when that process finally comes to an end. Katrina's captivating writing has helped me to stay more present in the p...more

 
  "Like talking to that experienced mom friend you have..." by semcg (see profile) 01/27/14

This book, as all of Katrina Kenison\\\\\\\'s books, is like talking to that experienced, wiser, and full of advice friend who is just a few steps ahead of you on your parenting journey. I treasured this book and find myself thinking back to the passages that really resonated with me. Each of your book club members will have their own magical journey to chart or if they are already on their way, to share with you.

 
  "A conversation with a wise friend" by Jsmdpt (see profile) 01/27/14

My dog eared copy of this book sits beside my bed for frequent re-reading and has been a trusted companion on my own journey. Katrina Kenison shares her experiences and the lessons learned from them in a way that makes her readers feel as if she\\\'s having a conversation with them over a cup of tea. Magical Journey be a fantastic choice for a book club discussion.

 
  "Magical beautiful book!" by terrilynwatson (see profile) 01/29/14

This book echoed the sentiments of my heart! Katrina’s voice excels with insight into the thoughts and feelings of women whose children have left the nest and are beginning a new journey of identity. “I want to age not only with acceptance but with contentment. To do so, I suspect, demands both action and stillness, energy and surrender, a willingness to stretch in new directions even as I make my peace with what is.” My book club loved every page of this beautiful book. I highly recommend it.

 
  "Love" by amyk293 (see profile) 01/31/14

I picked up Katrina's book at the library and found myself feeling as if she knew me. So many moments I knew that she understood this time in our life. I am heading out tomorrow to buy my own copy.

 
  "Magical Journey: An Apprenticeship in Contentment" by Miracles (see profile) 02/03/14

Magical Journey provided me with a respite from the bustling, and often frenetic, pace of daily life, allowing me to exhale and remember how quickly time passes. Bittersweet, nostalgic and hopeful...a book that has a permanent place on my nightstand.

 
  "Truly a magical journey..." by shinhen (see profile) 02/25/14

Beautifully written book with many life lessons and profound quotes.

 
  "too long and self indulgent" by suedock (see profile) 09/10/14

Our entire group agreed- too long and too self indulgent, would possibly have worked as a magazine article. We just could not relate to the feelings of the author.

 
  "Magical Journey: an apprenticeship in contentment" by Sherrit (see profile) 04/13/17

A thoughtful memoir of life as it changes when the empty nest syndrome appears and how the writer discovers a new life ahead of her.

 
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