Celebrating Dads and Grads!

"No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world."

~Robin Williams

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Congrats Grads!

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We send joyful congratulations to our 2020 and 2021 graduates! We also recognize the hard work of the friends, family, teachers and mentors who serve as their cheer squads and support teams, pitching in and being there through thick and thin. The creativity, flexibility, and sheer strength required to get through this past year in particular, is so incredible. You have surmounted enormous challenges with grace and determination, and we recognize you for all you have done!

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Now you have arrived at a moment of transition, or maybe a moment of transformation. Maybe you are already looking ahead and wondering what comes next, or you are excited to take the next step, make the next move...

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Hold. Breathe. Sit in the moment and appreciate all you have achieved. It is okay to stop at the end of a long process and just think back to all the small victories that led up to this moment. The diploma, certificate, award, ceremony...each is a way to celebrate and announce to the world a milestone in your inner work--your learning, practice, and mastery.

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As you continue to learn and grow, you can remember this moment of graduation with pride, and draw on your experiences in the years to come! For those looking ahead for inspiration, or looking to share some helpful advice with a recent grad, please take a look at our list of books that make great gifts for anyone starting an exciting new chapter in their life.

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“Fathering is not something perfect men do, but something that perfects the man.”

~Frank Pittman

“I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments when they aren’t trying to teach us. We are formed by little scraps of wisdom.”

~Umberto Eco

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...and Happy Father's Day!

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Although I did not get to meet my own father before he passed on, I have been very lucky to know many fathers, whether they were uncles, distant cousins, or my friends' parents. Their loving support and encouragement has been a huge blessing, and I am so grateful for their presence in my life!

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It is a rich and wonderful love we receive from our fathers and the father figures we choose and who choose us. The deep well from which a father's love springs is a joyful and delightful thing. Even without saying a word, those fathers with quiet hearts make known the strength of the bond they feel for their children, in a diversity of ways that it takes a lifetime to appreciate.

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Whether you are celebrating with your family, or taking a moment to reflect on what Father's Day can mean for YOU, honoring fatherhood is a beautiful thing, and helps us feel our connection to the greater family of humanity all around us.

~EWF

Some ways to celebrate Father's Day

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~Give a heartfelt card to the fathers in your life, or take a sacred pause and reflect on what fatherhood means to you.

~Share a meal with loved ones and share your favorite happy memories.

~Spend some time in nature together, or go for a walk in a place that reminds you of your father.

~Create a playlist of "dad songs" for your family.

~In the way that is most meaningful to you, find a way to say "Thank You".

~Find a meaningful book to read or share--our lovely bookshop curator Rebecca Traver has put together a list of special reads for Father's Day here. Find gifts for first-time dads, as well as memoirs that celebrate the remarkable challenges and joys of fatherhood.

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“If there is any immortality to be had among us human beings, it is certainly only in the love that we leave behind.
Fathers like mine don’t ever die.”

~Leo Buscaglia

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