Pieces Of A Whole Heart

Hope. What is hope? What does it mean to you? Where do you find your hope? How does one hope? Why is hope important? Regardless, hope is somewhere in your life. It could be in the people around you. Or in a stranger. Hope, trust, love, and belief are connected. What happens when those things are taken away?

In lyrical and evocative prose, the New York Times bestselling author of the Tradd Street novels takes the scattered pieces of a life and weaves them into a tale of hope... Caroline Collier is a woman bogged down in the harsh realities of a life barely lived. Stress from her all-consuming job as an accountant has given her panic attacks, forcing her to take a leave of absence from work. And though her chances of relaxing in the presence of her overbearing, perfect mother are slim, she joins her at the family’s vacation home in the mountains of North Carolina. Though Caroline loves the serene beauty of Lake Ophelia, peace of mind is not to be found. Memories of her beloved younger brother, who died when she was seventeen, continue to haunt her, while the tension between her mother and her still simmers. Only their neighbors, the husband and daughter of one of Caroline’s childhood friends, seem able to penetrate her cool reserve, giving Caroline the courage to face her biggest fears—and dive headfirst into life...

At once heartbreaking and joyously uplifting, "Whole Heart" is an unflinching portrait of one woman's fight for self-discovery, opportunity, and hope. There is grace and possibility in even the bleakest of places--a triumphant journey toward inner happiness--an African heart with an American dream. "Whole Heart" is an honest and inspiring memoir that acknowledges pain and will move you to tears, but eventually, it will get your heart filled with hope, joy, and aspiration. This is an inspiring true story that proves darkness can lead to light and joy is possible on the other side of pain. In this moving memoir, Michelle Felix opens her whole heart and recounts her life, starting from her childhood in Africa to her transitions and current life in America. During her childhood, Michelle had her world turned upside down, as she was forced to face several family issues that deeply affected her and made her feel stuck in a cycle of pain, regret, and immense grief. However, even with the hurt that painted her childhood, Michelle is determined to find healing and turn her pain into purpose, even when she sometimes feels weighed down by the complexities of her past. This memoir offers an inspiring and intimate look into the life of a girl who fought her way through loss, uncertainty, and rejection. It tells the story of author Michelle Felix's incredible journey of perseverance and redemption. If you have ever felt alone, worthless, lost, or as though you can't rise from the ashes of the pain of your life, this memoir is for you.

Many horse trainers, even those who espouse the so-called natural horsemanship approach, take the position that horses who fail to obey a human's request are doing so as much out of perversity as ignorance. That's not Mark Rashid's view. In his words, "If we understand that horses can't separate the way they feel from the way they act, then we can start to see that unwanted behavior isn't bad behavior at all. More times than not, it's just the horse expressing the way he feels at that particular moment in time. . . .How we perceive that information dictates how we respond to it." Whole Heart, Whole Horse focuses on this idea, covering such subjects as gathering information from the horse, turning rider/trainer mistakes into positive experiences, developing realistic boundaries between you and your horse, understanding how and why horses release energy from real or perceived traumas, and reaching a comfortable balance point between horse and rider. Rashid analyzes developing softness, consistency, dependability, trust, and peace of mind in both horses and humans, as well as how to become a leader whom your horse will willingly want to follow and work with. Full of examples that extend beyond the training pen, Whole Heart, Whole Horse offers good sense and information that will make you a more astute, capable, and sensitive horseman and person.

Celebrate feelings in all their shapes and sizes in this New York Times bestselling picture book from the Growing Hearts series! Happiness, sadness, bravery, anger, shyness . . . our hearts can feel so many feelings! Some make us feel as light as a balloon, others as heavy as an elephant. In My Heart explores a full range of emotions, describing how they feel physically, inside, with language that is lyrical but also direct to empower readers to practice articulating and identifying their own emotions. With whimsical illustrations and an irresistible die-cut heart that extends through each spread, this gorgeously packaged and unique feelings book is sure to become a storytime favorite.