1. Acknowledge Sadness, But Don’t Let It Cancel Your Joy from The Gurdeep Magazine. This in particular was the reminder I needed, going in to this election week:

“It’s important to recognize that these troubles and problems have been an intrinsic part of the human experience throughout history and will likely persist into the foreseeable future. While we possess the capacity to address and potentially resolve some issues, others lie beyond our sphere of influence, originating from external sources such as governmental decisions, health crises, natural disasters, and various other factors beyond individual control.

However, this acknowledgment of life’s inherent difficulties should not lead us down a path of perpetual sadness and pessimism. Such a mindset can be detrimental to our overall well-being and quality of life.

Instead, it’s imperative to actively and intentionally seek out joy in our daily lives. This pursuit of joy is not a frivolous endeavor, but a necessary component in maintaining emotional equilibrium. Joy serves as a crucial counterweight to life’s challenges, helping to prevent us from slipping into the depths of depression or prolonged despair.”

2. Saying Yes on The Isolation Journals with Suleika Jaouad.

3. Breathe, a poem from Lynn Ungar, another good reminder for this election week. Another good one for this week is Holding Vigil by Alison Luterman.

4. Buddhist Advice for Election Anxiety on Lion’s Roar. “Are you experiencing strong, difficult emotions due to the upcoming election? Four Buddhists offer advice for dealing with despair, anger, grief, and anxiety.”

5. Election Anxiety from Patti Digh.

6. Why you are an artist from Danny Gregory.

7. The Evolution Of Día De Los Muertos.

8. 10 Gentle Reminders and Ideas to Calm Anxiety from Courtney Carver on Be More With Less.

9. If He Wins from Chuck Wendig on Terrible Minds.

10. You’re not burnt out, you’re being burned out.

11. Whether Underwater or Up a Tree, Close-Up Photographer of the Year Delights in the Details.

12. Magic and Whimsy Abound from Shannon Taylor’s Fantastic Watercolor Dioramas.

13. Luther Vandross and the Sound That Could Fill Hearts, or Break Them on The New York Times. (gift link) “He was hounded by a fat-phobic press, but as Dawn Porter’s new documentary shows, he was a transformational presence from the start.”

14. Mirrors on Easels Create the Illusion of Desert Landscape Paintings in California’s Joshua Tree National Park.

15. And finally, this random collection of things I saved on my phone this week.

1. Poetry from from Out With Lanterns, a daily poetry practice by Julie Barton: Love Letter to Solitude, and Putting Down The Old Dog, and Reboot, and Hurt.

2. 18 Life-Learnings from 18 Years of The Marginalian. 

3. The same thing goes with humans really: To be flawed is to be real from Jenny Lawson (The Bloggess).

4. “What Does Stephen King Mean for You And Your Career?” from Chuck Wendig on Terrible Minds.

5. Pam Houston Tells Us: About Finding a Reason to Live on Cheryl Strayed’s Dear Sugar, “the occasional series I do, in which I invite an author to tell us five things—not only about their most recent book, but about their life too.”

6. 14,000 Prescription Lenses Dangle like Dewdrops in a Lush Japanese Forest.

7. Resilience is a trauma response, “It’s not all it is hyped up to be” from Patti Digh.

8. Why kids should read obituaries, “These stories are about informative, interesting, and inspirational lives.”

9. The Only Thing That Makes Sense, a new poem from Julia Fehrenbacher.

10. ‘Relax, nothing is under control’ – and other sentiments that changed how you think. “Some words have real sticking power. Not so much the stream of motivational quotes in decorative borders that surge daily through social media. More those gems that – by dint of their poignancy in a particular time and place – hold real power to change things for the better. We asked Positive News readers to tell us about the most inspiring things people have ever said to them.”

11. How Death Cafes Celebrate Life. “In our daily lives, we don’t often openly discuss our feelings about death and dying. So where can people go to have those conversations?”

12. In the Jabalia refugee camp, my sister has reached breaking point. What will it take to stop this nightmare? “Every time I think things can’t get worse in Gaza, they do. But that is what happens when the world turns a blind eye to cruelty.”

13. The Most Magical Story I May Ever Tell, “It started with a pumpkin” from Andrea Gibson.

14. 7 Rules for Midlife Happiness.

15. 50 Conversation Starters to Spark Connection (and Keep Things Fun).

16. Ann Patchett: The Decision I Made 30 Years Ago That I Still Regret on The New York Times. (gift link)

17. The Beauty of Being Alone.

18. 12-Year-Old Kid Has Saved 4,800 Shelter Dogs. (video) “This kid became obsessed with saving shelter dogs when he was 3 years old — and went on to find 4,800 of them homes.”

19. ‘Does time heal? I don’t think so’: Richard E Grant on love, loss – and bonking. “The raw intensity and personal honesty that Richard E Grant brought to Withnail and I was real and has never left him. Now the actor and diarist, still grieving the loss of his wife, talks openly about heartbreak, ambition and his traumatic upbringing.”

20. ‘I miss her a lot’: Andrew Garfield telling Elmo about grief was his best work yet. “The star opened about his mother’s death on Sesame Street with a clarity and sincerity rare among celebrities.”

21. Seth Meyers Isn’t as Nice as You Think He Is on The New York Times. (gift link) “Meyers has crafted a comedically precise but genial persona over more than two decades on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and ‘Late Night.’ A new stand-up special finds him reveling in his more acerbic side.”

22. Meditation And Mindfulness Have a Dark Side We Don’t Talk About.

23. 25 Breathtaking Photos of Sakura in Full Bloom Across Japan by Hidenobu Suzuki.

24. What We Lose With The End Of ‘Somebody Somewhere.’ “The tender HBO series debuted in a bleak pop culture era. With its remarkable third and final season, it will leave behind a major gap in nicecore TV.” In related news, ‘Somebody Somewhere’ is about finding your people: Here’s how Bridget Everett found hers.

25. ‘Good Omens’ Season 3 Cut Short Amid Allegations Against Gaiman on The New York Times. (gift link) “The series is the third production linked to the author to face turmoil after allegations made by five women surfaced this summer.”

26. I’m a death expert. I designed eight questions to help you think about dying. “The modern era has eroded the myths and traditions of death. But there’s a way to create your own belief system.”

27. “Juana Maria”, The Mystery Woman Stranded For 18 Years Off The Coast Of California. “She lived in near-total isolation for close to two decades. By the time she was found, her native language had disappeared.”

28. 6 Small, Everyday Things Physical Therapists Wish You’d Stop Doing.

29. 4 Signs You Need Rest—And How To Heal For A Stronger Mind And Body.

30. Luther: Never Too Much. I adore Luther Vandross and can’t wait for this documentary.

31. And finally, a bunch of random stuff I saved on my phone this week.