When I take a bird’s eye view of things, it seems that the challenge right now (and maybe, too, the point) is to keep going.
Despite Everything.
To keep going despite Everything, despite the bloodshed and disappointment and pain and suffering and fear, and despite the uncertainty—which simmers somewhere, always, whether we feel it or not. Maybe some of us are feeling all that more keenly and clearly now.
There are a handful of items that help me keep body & soul going. They are accessible and mighty, and best of all, are made by real people doing their thing in this world with great love.
Radical Self-Love Body Butter is one of those items. Created by musician Anne Harris, this ambrosial body butter is thoughtfully sourced to honor Mother Earth. RSL Body Butter smells like a dream, so delicious that I have to stop myself spreading it on toast. (For real. Every day I’m tempted.) Instead I treat my skin to its soothing, illuminating wonders. My favorite is the Frankinsence-Geranium blend. I put it on my face before bed, and my skin is much happier.
Next is tea from CommuniTEA Love. The nourishing blends are made by mother-daughter team Amy and Modjeska Chavez. Sometimes tea is more than just tea. With each cup, you can inhale the love and care that goes into blending these healing plants. I took a bag of this blend to a writing retreat last spring. It happened that the teapot in the house was glass, which allowed us to watch the beautiful color emerge. Purple tea!
And our family’s food would be nothing without spices from Pepper Forrest Spice Company. When we order the paprika, I pause before discarding the packing envelope: I must first inhale its sunshine, and dream of the delicious soups, stews, and salads that will soon emerge in the kitchen.
Words from Ross Gay. Right now I’m reading The Catalogue Of Unabashed Gratitude. And I love, love, love (and often revisit) the Delights books. My daughter and I saw Ross Gay speak at Joseph Beth in Cincinnati last February. And then last summer, I was walking past a sidewalk cafe in my hometown and—could it be? yes!—there was the poet, sitting at a table, working. When I told him how much we appreciate his work, he was kind and gracious. (Total delight.)
Speaking of books (and their import when the world feels like it’s falling apart) this year’s chapbooks from the Literary Kitchen help me focus on how our impulse to share words, narrative, humor, and truth-telling matters. When I feel like writing isn’t enough, I can turn to these voices and stories. (My latest book is among them. Dear Inner Critic: a self-doubt activity book just had its second printing. So grateful for the Literary Kitchen & Wayward Writers.)
And here’s a little something to tuck into a pocket for moments when you are waiting at a medical appointment and want to be that one person who’s not staring at their phone. The East Village Inky by Ayun Halliday is the perfect antidote to digital inertia. Funny, wild, erudite, and hand-lettered by a human being. Imagine!
These tangibles help make life a little better.
When I can access even a shred of gratitude or optimism, it’s possible to imagine that we will make it through the challenges of these times. I have to trust that it’s possible.
Love,
Rebecca
p.s. Maybe you’re thinking about holiday gift-giving. Good! Now you have some ideas.
Rebecca Kuder 
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