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Fiction Literary

If Tenderness be Gold

by (author) Eleanor Albanese

Publisher
Latitude 46 Publishing
Initial publish date
May 2020
Category
Literary, Contemporary Women
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781988989174
    Publish Date
    May 2020
    List Price
    $22.95

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Description

If Tenderness Be Gold is set in 19th-century and early 20th-century northern Ontario and Manitoba. An Irish mother, an Italian herbalist, and a Scottish midwife come together on the night of a difficult birth, and the result of their union has effects that echo through the generations.

About the author

Eleanor Albanese is an award-winning writer, artist, playwright and filmmaker living in Thunder Bay, Ont. Her work has been published by Innana Publications, Playwrights Canada Press, Burning Books Press, Arctic Journal, as well as numerous journals and magazines. Many of her plays have been produced and/or toured extensively throughout Canada. The Novena Sisters was produced and aired nationally by CBC radio and her recent play Night Wings was produced by Superior Theatre Festival. If Tenderness be Gold is her first novel.

Eleanor Albanese's profile page

Excerpt: If Tenderness be Gold (by (author) Eleanor Albanese)

THE SEVEN TENETS OF MINDFULNESS

 

Nonjudgment

We continually judge our thoughts, our feelings, and our bod-ies. Our focus is often on negativity rather than what's posi-tive. We want things to be a certain way and judge if we do notachieve this. In a similar way, we judge others. We have beenreared in a society that judges. When we go to the cushion, wealso judge our practice. We compare ourselves to others. Wejudge whether we are doing the practice right or wrong. We mayprefer some mindfulness practices while we push others away.However, mindfulness is about being kind to self and paying at-tention to the present moment purposely without judgement.Mindfulness allows us to step back and observe with openness,spaciousness, and curiosity. This gives us incredible freedom.

Patience

Patience refers to our ability to let things unfold in their own accordwithout rushing them or wishing for things to be different than theyare. We often spend time wanting things to be different. In essence,we wish our life away. We are part of a society that seeks instantgratification. Mindful awareness does not materialize immediately.Mindfulness is cultivated slowly through regular practice and withpatience as obstacles arise. Patience is a natural part of the process.

Beginner's mind

Children have the gift of being able to see things from an unbiasedpoint of view. We are able to witness this perspective if we watchthem at play. As we grow older and have experiences, we form bi-ases that do not serve us in seeing things as they actually are. Wecreate misconceptions and this limits our ability to see clearly.When stressed, we develop tunnel vision, a narrow way of seeingthe world and this causes us to be reactive rather than responsive.When we look at things as if we are seeing them for the very firsttime, we are able to fully appreciate their splendour in a new way.

Trust

Trust invites us to tune into our own basic goodness and realize thatwe have the innate capacity to develop awareness through mindful-ness practices. Jon Kabat-Zinn often reminds us that there is moreright with you than wrong with you. Trusting the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program allows us to have confidence inthe process and in the curriculum that has been rigorously studied.Mindfulness entails looking both inward and outward. This meansrespecting our abilities and limitations without judgment, as wellas trusting our ability to ask ourselves "what is called for now?"

Editorial Reviews

Eleanor Albanese's debut novel, If Tenderness Be Gold, is a beautiful tapestry, woven on a loom formed by the waters of Black Bay and the boreal forests of northern Ontario, its warp strung by a mother whose loneliness and love for her child dared her to befriend an outsider.
--Jean E. Pendziwol, author of The Lightkeepers Daughter.

If Tenderness Be Gold is a poetic, painterly novel about the mysteries of family - about generational memory and all its gifts and burdens. Albanese's writing is powerful magic.
--Natalie Morrill, author The Ghost Keeper.

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