Gathering in times of…

Soon, I will be attending several family gatherings. In honor of these special occasions, here is an essay—well, part of an essay—from book #2:

“A wedding. A funeral. A baby naming. Coming of age ceremonies. Important anniversaries. Unimportant occasions. Unimportant? All occasions that bring people together are important. Gathering together forges ties and friendships, support and community. Whether the occasion is happy or sad or tension filled or relaxed, gathering together leads to emotion...