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Moments of Seeing: Reflections from an Ordinary Life
In this long-awaited collection of essays from her popular blog, Katrina Kenison gives voice to the simple joys and private longings of women everywhere. Here are the deeply felt and beautifully articulated moments of life as it is really lived — the triumphs and tumult of parenting, the ups and downs of friendship, the challenges of marriage, the delicate balance between solitude and intimacy, the fleeting beauty of the seasons, the death of loved ones, the march of time.
It is a special privilege to enter the life of a writer as candid, as quietly courageous, as Katrina. “Wake up,” she gently reminds us. “Be grateful. Keep an eye out for wonder.”
So it is that we begin to discover the sacred in the everyday. We learn to embrace rather than deny the wealth of experience an ordinary life can hold. And we find in these pages the very companionship we seek for the bewildering, bewitching journey through midlife and beyond.
It is a special privilege to enter the life of a writer as candid, as quietly courageous, as Katrina. “Wake up,” she gently reminds us. “Be grateful. Keep an eye out for wonder.”
So it is that we begin to discover the sacred in the everyday. We learn to embrace rather than deny the wealth of experience an ordinary life can hold. And we find in these pages the very companionship we seek for the bewildering, bewitching journey through midlife and beyond.
- GenresEssaysMemoirNonfiction
600 pages, Paperback
Published November 1, 2016
9 people are currently reading
386 people want to read
About the author
Katrina Kenison
42 books217 followers"I write to remind myself of how I want to live and who I want to be," says KATRINA KENISON, author of three beloved memoirs that, together, chart the seasons of a woman's life.
Her first book, MITTEN STRINGS FOR GOD: REFLECTIONS FOR MOTHERS IN A HURRY, now a classic for parents of young children, is a compelling invitation to do less and enjoy life more -- in a culture that urges "bigger, better, faster."
THE GIFT OF AN ORDINARY DAY: A MOTHER'S MEMOIR celebrates the small pleasures and the small moments of family life, (which of course are not really small at all).
MAGICAL JOURNEY:AN APPRENTICESHIP IN CONTENTMENT, an intimate memoir of loss and change, growth and transformation. speaks to any woman who has ever mourned the passage of time, doubted her sense of purpose, or asked the question, "What now?"
Her new book, MOMENTS OF SEEING:REFLECTIONS FROM AN ORDINARY LIFE, gives voice to the private longings and simple joys of women everywhere. Drawn from her popular blog, this long-awaited collection is a welcome reminder to pay attention, to practice gratitude, to keep an eye out for wonder. So it is that we begin to discover the sacred in the everyday. .
The annual editor of THE BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES from 1990-2006, she co-edited, with John Updike, THE BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES OF THE CENTURY, a New York Times bestseller. Her other books include the anthology MOTHERS:TWENTY STORIES OF CONTEMPORARY MOTHERHOOD, and MEDITATIONS FROM THE MAT: REFLECTIONS FROM THE PATH OF YOGA, written with her yoga teacher Rolf Gates.
Katrina Kenison lives with her family in rural New Hampshire.
Her first book, MITTEN STRINGS FOR GOD: REFLECTIONS FOR MOTHERS IN A HURRY, now a classic for parents of young children, is a compelling invitation to do less and enjoy life more -- in a culture that urges "bigger, better, faster."
THE GIFT OF AN ORDINARY DAY: A MOTHER'S MEMOIR celebrates the small pleasures and the small moments of family life, (which of course are not really small at all).
MAGICAL JOURNEY:AN APPRENTICESHIP IN CONTENTMENT, an intimate memoir of loss and change, growth and transformation. speaks to any woman who has ever mourned the passage of time, doubted her sense of purpose, or asked the question, "What now?"
Her new book, MOMENTS OF SEEING:REFLECTIONS FROM AN ORDINARY LIFE, gives voice to the private longings and simple joys of women everywhere. Drawn from her popular blog, this long-awaited collection is a welcome reminder to pay attention, to practice gratitude, to keep an eye out for wonder. So it is that we begin to discover the sacred in the everyday. .
The annual editor of THE BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES from 1990-2006, she co-edited, with John Updike, THE BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES OF THE CENTURY, a New York Times bestseller. Her other books include the anthology MOTHERS:TWENTY STORIES OF CONTEMPORARY MOTHERHOOD, and MEDITATIONS FROM THE MAT: REFLECTIONS FROM THE PATH OF YOGA, written with her yoga teacher Rolf Gates.
Katrina Kenison lives with her family in rural New Hampshire.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 20, 2020
This morning, after five years of reading, I finished this book with a great deal of sadness (I wasn't sure how I would cope after it ended). Then I closed the book, opened the front cover, and started it again. (There's a review in this memoir somewhere...I promise!)
When I was in my mid-20s I came across Katrina Kenison's Mitten Strings for God and gave it to my mother as a gift. At the time I had zero interest in Kenison as a writer--she was someone for older people like my mom to read. She wrote about parenthood and ordinary life (in my 20-something mind...aka "boring"). Five years ago I became a late-in-life parent. As I struggled to make meaning of my new life as a mother, I ordered Kenison's collection, Moments of Seeing (side note: at the time I had no recollection of my previous encounter with and thoughts on Kenison's books). I began reading the book, immediately found comfort, and in the small moments of time to read that new parenthood allows, I would pick up the book and learn from Kenison much about what the future as a mother to son a might look like for me.
I continued to read the book in dribs and drabs, as, I would argue, it is meant to be read, over the years of my son growing from infancy to toddlerhood, to actual real-live kiddo (how can this be!?). Kenison's voice always felt like a mentor to me or a bit like me speaking to me from the future. I would underline passages and jot reminders down in my journal.
When March 2020 came--five years into starting the book--I was a little more than half way through this large (thankfully so) collection of Kenison's blog posts. As I was trying to develop a new morning routine that worked for my new pandemic life of being home with my son full time, while also trying to work full time, I picked up Moments of Seeing again, and I could not put it back down. Reading an entry or two from this book became the lifeline of my Covid-19 morning routine. This book in the morning (and Schitts Creek at night) got me through those early hard months of the pandemic.
Kenison's writing makes for perfect pandemic reading. For many (the most privileged among us), we are living a more “ordinary life” these days. Without events to attend and stores to shop in, we are (hopefully, if we are doing what we should) staying at home, managing work and our families, cooking food, finding creative ways to provide entertainment for ourselves--all of the things that Kenison’s books are about. Also, Kenison writes about the heart-break and turmoil that ordinary life must encompass. In doing so she provides wisdom for how to live fully within the suffering. "Even a heavy heart can overflow with contentment," writes Kenison. How many moments in the past few months has my heart felt this way...?
Kenison's voice is consistently calm and reassuring, but also honest. She doesn't have all the answers, she simply has lived. She, like us, struggles with finding happiness and contentment. She, like us, sweats the small stuff sometimes. Many times in reading this book I felt like Kenison was in my brain. Ultimately, Moments of Seeing, for me, was like having a friend in a book--one I could turn to each morning to help gently guide my day in a more peaceful and contented direction. (Side note: I can feel this way about Kenison because we are similar in so many ways: white, educated women living in the Northeast in a two-income household, and afforded with a large amount of privilege because of those things. We both have housing, and the ability to do things like running and yoga. We both are able to provide more than simply food and shelter for our children. For these reasons, Kenison's work might read very differently for others. However, I do get the sense that Kenison is well aware of this privilege and does make light of it in various places within the book. I will also note though that I wasn't sure if Kenison's focus on parenthood would mean that child-free readers might not be able to relate; however, I found out that a good friend of mine--who is also an enormously talented writer herself--is also a fan of Kenison's work, and she is child-free).
When I was in my mid-20s I came across Katrina Kenison's Mitten Strings for God and gave it to my mother as a gift. At the time I had zero interest in Kenison as a writer--she was someone for older people like my mom to read. She wrote about parenthood and ordinary life (in my 20-something mind...aka "boring"). Five years ago I became a late-in-life parent. As I struggled to make meaning of my new life as a mother, I ordered Kenison's collection, Moments of Seeing (side note: at the time I had no recollection of my previous encounter with and thoughts on Kenison's books). I began reading the book, immediately found comfort, and in the small moments of time to read that new parenthood allows, I would pick up the book and learn from Kenison much about what the future as a mother to son a might look like for me.
I continued to read the book in dribs and drabs, as, I would argue, it is meant to be read, over the years of my son growing from infancy to toddlerhood, to actual real-live kiddo (how can this be!?). Kenison's voice always felt like a mentor to me or a bit like me speaking to me from the future. I would underline passages and jot reminders down in my journal.
When March 2020 came--five years into starting the book--I was a little more than half way through this large (thankfully so) collection of Kenison's blog posts. As I was trying to develop a new morning routine that worked for my new pandemic life of being home with my son full time, while also trying to work full time, I picked up Moments of Seeing again, and I could not put it back down. Reading an entry or two from this book became the lifeline of my Covid-19 morning routine. This book in the morning (and Schitts Creek at night) got me through those early hard months of the pandemic.
Kenison's writing makes for perfect pandemic reading. For many (the most privileged among us), we are living a more “ordinary life” these days. Without events to attend and stores to shop in, we are (hopefully, if we are doing what we should) staying at home, managing work and our families, cooking food, finding creative ways to provide entertainment for ourselves--all of the things that Kenison’s books are about. Also, Kenison writes about the heart-break and turmoil that ordinary life must encompass. In doing so she provides wisdom for how to live fully within the suffering. "Even a heavy heart can overflow with contentment," writes Kenison. How many moments in the past few months has my heart felt this way...?
Kenison's voice is consistently calm and reassuring, but also honest. She doesn't have all the answers, she simply has lived. She, like us, struggles with finding happiness and contentment. She, like us, sweats the small stuff sometimes. Many times in reading this book I felt like Kenison was in my brain. Ultimately, Moments of Seeing, for me, was like having a friend in a book--one I could turn to each morning to help gently guide my day in a more peaceful and contented direction. (Side note: I can feel this way about Kenison because we are similar in so many ways: white, educated women living in the Northeast in a two-income household, and afforded with a large amount of privilege because of those things. We both have housing, and the ability to do things like running and yoga. We both are able to provide more than simply food and shelter for our children. For these reasons, Kenison's work might read very differently for others. However, I do get the sense that Kenison is well aware of this privilege and does make light of it in various places within the book. I will also note though that I wasn't sure if Kenison's focus on parenthood would mean that child-free readers might not be able to relate; however, I found out that a good friend of mine--who is also an enormously talented writer herself--is also a fan of Kenison's work, and she is child-free).
December 29, 2020
This book has been my nightstand companion for nearly a year and a half, and it's always been the best kind of comfort reading for me. Relatable, warm, hopeful. I'll always be a Kenison fan.
September 11, 2017
A book that I savored from the start of summer until now. Best read in spurts. Katrina Kenison is a kindred spirit. ☺️
August 22, 2018
Summer Bingo - with recipes. I've been reading Katrina's blog for several years and love her quiet, insightful essays. This is a beautiful collection, perfect for slow reading. In fact, I'd recommend dipping in and out and it would be lovely to read these by season. I can also recommend the granola; it makes a ton and my family and friends enjoyed it last Christmas!
June 25, 2017
Moments of Seeing is a lovely collection of essays from Katrina Kenison's blog. She addresses so many different topics that there is sure to be something here for everyone. They are indeed reflections from an ordinary life, but the author has the ability to make readers think about and appreciate their own ordinary lives. Because there are so many essays in this collection, they began to feel a bit repetitive to me, especially since I was trying to read this from start to finish. I think it would be a perfectly enjoyable book to pick up when you have a few moments, read several of Kenison's thoughts at random, and mull them over.
Book Bingo 2017 - Collection of essays
Book Bingo 2017 - Collection of essays
February 7, 2023
I’m sad this one is over. This book is made up of essays that really are reflections of a life being lived. It didn’t hurt that the author wrote this at a time in her life that is very similar to mine. Both entering the empty nesting stage, both of us past runners and a bit of yogis, (her more than I), both of us battling aging that affect some of our loved hobbies, both learning to adapt to life’s transitions and lessons. This book was so relatable to be, so honest. It often felt like balm to my soul as I’m trying to navigate this next phase of life. I will definitely be reading more of Kenison’s books and essays.
June 2, 2019
I feel as if there is no way for me to adequately explain my profound gratitude for this lovely book, except to say how very much I savoured every page. To walk this path of life, of triumph, of sadness, of beauty, of family and friendships. Of gathering and solitude, of gracefulness and grovel. With such a dear and kind heart as the magnificent Katrina Kenison as your trusted companion is for me one of life's greatest pleasures.
Thank you Katrina, for giving voice to everyday life that so very often echoes my own. With my gratitude to you.. for this. ♥
Thank you Katrina, for giving voice to everyday life that so very often echoes my own. With my gratitude to you.. for this. ♥
July 2, 2023
Like others who’ve written reviews, I too took my time reading this book. It is so beautifully written that I wanted to truly enjoy every word, every thought she shared with us. This is not a book to be rushed through but one that needs to be savored over and over again. I’m so glad I did. And I will continue to do so - for it’s like a meditation- a way of viewing the world and your life and your place in it- for the short time we are here. This one is a keeper for my bedside for the foreseeable future. I feel so lucky to have found it and her. It feels like she wrote it just for me.
January 18, 2019
I always like her writing. I didn’t get through this whole book as I would like to read these on her blog to see what photographs she posted to each essay.
August 20, 2019
I think you have to be over 50 to appreciate this collection of essays from her blog and other books. I have lots of sections marked for rereading.
December 26, 2017
Loved this book. Love Katrina Kenison's writing and her heart. I savored this book over the course of a year and I was sad when I came to the last page. I'd read many of the entries over the years on Katrina's blog and they still spoke to me all these years later. She is a kindred spirit. So many times I read her words and thought - "Yes! That's exactly how I feel!" and other times I read her words and it was as if she was pushing my mind to dig a little deeper and examine my own soul. Her mother's heart is so wide and expansive and brave, and yet she isn't afraid to share the hardest parts of being a parent and her own foibles and misguided efforts. I'm feeling a little adrift looking for a book to follow this one up in my morning reading time.
December 14, 2016
Beautiful book, filled with quiet reflections about those little moments in life. The moments that strung together create beautiful memories of family, friends and celebrates the ordinary.
A series of essays- blog posts Katrina gathered and brought together into this lovely book.
I'm a huge fan of her writing and she has had a great influence on my own attempt to capture the simple moments in my own life.
Very highly recommended.
A series of essays- blog posts Katrina gathered and brought together into this lovely book.
I'm a huge fan of her writing and she has had a great influence on my own attempt to capture the simple moments in my own life.
Very highly recommended.
January 25, 2019
The kind of book you want to keep nearby to dip into. Full of Katrina Kenison's lovely prose and thoughtful, honest reflections.
April 17, 2017
I love Katrina Kenison's work. She states in her essay "cookies" in Moments of Seeing, a collection of essays from her blog: "Nearly everything I write is some variation on the same theme: paying attention, being grateful. Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only one who needs to keep hearing it or if others need to be reminded just as I do." This reader certainly does. It also doesn't hurt that Kenison often writes about being the mom of two young adult sons and that she lives on a New Hampshire farm; I can relate to so much of her writing due to shared experience, either real or wishful!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews