|
A woman
is like a tea bag: You never know her strength until you drop
her in hot water. –Eleanor Roosevelt
In
celebration of women’s
history month, I went searching for a book that contains all
of the ingredients of womanhood.
Not a small task. Could one book possibly address all
women’s issues? It would have to be a mixture of the various
roles of daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, granddaughter,
girlfriend, wife, divorcee, friend, and mentor. It would have
to add a spoonful of sorrows, a pinch of joys, a tablespoon
of laughter, a cup of wisdom, a slice of life and some sugar
and spice. Once again, not a small task.
This
month’s selection, Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul (Heath
Communications, Inc.) compiled by #1 New York Times best selling
co-authors Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jennifer Read
Hawthorne and Marci Shimoff contains all of the right ingredients
and will warm your heart during the rest of winter.
If you are in the mood to laugh and cry and to appreciate
your womanhood, then this is the book for you.
Maya
Angelou’s poem, “Phenomenal Woman” begins the compilation
which is dedicated to the 2.9 billion phenomenal women of
the world. The inspirational essays address the following
topics: love, attitude and self-esteem, overcoming obstacles,
marriage, motherhood, special moments, living your dream,
aging, higher wisdom, and generational relationships.
In
this case, too many cooks did not spoil the soup. Both men
and women contributed essays. Men recall their relationships
with their wives, mothers and daughters. Women write about
their relationships, issues, concerns, inspirations, sadness,
and happiness. Some better known contributors are Linda Ellerbee,
Oprah Winfrey, Dolly Parton, Robert Fulgham and Leo Buscaglia.
Other writers span the spectrum of teachers, playwrights,
stand-up comics, speakers, mothers, public relations executives,
photographers, and consultants, to name a few.
The
beauty of this book is that it recognizes the “busy factor.”
With crazy schedules and constant juggling acts, reading an
entire book, cover to cover, seems like a luxury that many
of us do not get to enjoy these days. Sometimes we all need
a little inspiration. Especially in winter. Often, the best
way to get a quick fix is to read timeless words by wise people.
These words come in the format of pithy quotes, like the one
from Eleanor Roosevelt, or in a poem like Maya Angelou’s,
or in a short essay. When reading Chicken Soup for the Woman’s
Soul, you may start and stop anywhere along the way, depending
on your mood. It’s an easy read. A good friend.
This
month, take a journey through the emotional life of all women.
It’s a sharing of mutual experiences – love, forgiving, friendships,
career and family. You may want to pass this recipe on to
your grandmother, mother, daughter, sister, or good friend.
Or, you may want to savor it all for yourself.
Debra
Scala is the Director of Marketing at the East Meadow law
firm of Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP, and she teaches
“How to Market and Promote Your Business” at Hofstra University’s
School of Continuing Education. Her e-mail address is dscala@cbah.com.
|
To
Order
Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul
Click Below
|
|
|
|
