In her latest book, “Magical Journey: An Apprenticeship in Contentment,” Katrina Kenison sends chills down our spines as she describes a letter she wrote to herself during a silent retreat and yoga training at Kripalu. Out of the blue, but at the right time, the instructor mailed it to her home — months after she had written it. She noticed her own handwriting in the mail.

“What I want to say to you, my dear, is this: Just for today, live the passionate truth of who you are. Stop looking at what is undone, what you haven’t achieved, where you’ve fallen short. Look, instead, into your own full heart. If you’re journey brings you to a choice between love and fear, choose love,” she had written to herself.

Her letter continues. It is beautiful. And memorable.

I feel honored to introduce Katrina Kenison — not that she needs any introduction, really — to all of our Awesomely Awake readers for this lovely interview she took time to do during a busy schedule of book signings. Pick up her book so you, too, can feel inspired by her story — and her letter. Perhaps you can even write your own.

I have read all three of your books and loved them all. Each one takes us deep into different parenting stages. I’m curious to know what you’d say was your favorite book? And, even more than that, which was your favorite parenting stage?

I love picking up Mitten Strings for God, because it returns me to such a tender and special time — the years when my sons, now ages 20 and 23, were little boys and I was the center of their universe. It’s a bit like paging through an old photo album; you know how it is: you can’t help but wonder, “Was life ever that simple? Were my kids really that adorable? Was I ever that young?” At the same time, knowing that that book has endured and is being read today by a whole new generation of young mothers is deeply satisfying. I love hearing from these mothers just as much as I love hearing from women my own age, many of whom write to say they have taken the whole parenting journey right along with me, reading Mitten Strings when their children were small, and The Gift of an Ordinary Day during the teenaged years, and now Magical Journey as they confront their own midlife changes and questions.

I can’t claim a favorite parenting stage. I do still miss my sons as the little boys they once were, and the intensity of family life during those years, which of course is by turns exhilarating and exhausting. But at the same time, I’m enjoying the freedoms and surprises of this new life stage: watching sons who are grown make their way in the world, and reclaiming time for me and my husband that is just about us as a couple.

Picking a favorite of my books would be like trying to pick a favorite child. They are so different, each representing a time of growth and challenge in my own life as a woman and as a mother. But I definitely took risks in writing Magical Journey that I wouldn’t have dared take before. It is more personal, more searching, and more revealing of my own self-doubts and questions. I think I felt safe opening up to that extent in its pages in part because I’ve learned I can trust my readers, knowing that we ARE on this journey together, and that I’m probably not alone in these feelings of loss and confusion, uncomfortable as they are to acknowledge.

As a mother of young children, people are always reminding us to cherish these years because they will pass all too quickly. I get that, which is why I write Awesomely Awake. What three tips can you offer moms with young children who want to focus most on what matters right now?

1. It always helps to keep the big picture in mind — to remember that whatever is going on in this moment is already changing into something else, so don’t hold on too tight or sweat too much over the small stuff. In other words, relax!

2. It’s so easy, as a mother of little ones (and of big ones, too!) to get attached to outcomes, when really the only thing that matters is that we stay connected to our child and let go of our idea of the way things “ought” to be in any given moment. So, if there’s behavior that’s challenging, think in terms of “my child is having a problem” instead of “my child is being a problem.”

3. I’ve learned that whenever I feel “off-course” or unsure of how to respond to some parenting challenge, I can usually improve the situation, no matter what it is, by pausing myself and asking “What is the loving thing to do here?” As soon as I cast the question in these words, a path opens for me.

Finally, I love that Magical Journey talks about yoga and your journey into it. This year, I began a personal challenge with a friend to start our own weekly yoga practice. This has been huge for me, personally. My friend, however, is very new and doesn’t know the poses but wants to try it. What advice do you have for a mom of any stage who might be interested but doesn’t know where or how to begin?

There are some great on-line yoga classes, perfect for those times when you have only a half hour to practice or can’t get out of the house. You can turn on a video and still have a wonderful yoga experience right in your own bedroom. But I do think that giving yourself the gift of a regular class is important, for lots of reasons. One, it gets you out of the house for a much needed break. Two, it is always helpful to have a teacher who can work with you on adjusting poses and making observations about your practice — this is valuable, essential feedback even for advanced students. And three, nothing beats the sense of community and connection that happens in a class. So, look around, and try various teachers and classes till you find one that fits. I began practicing yoga late in life, but when my boys were still young. The time that worked for me was 6:30 am, and I could only manage that once or twice a week, because it meant my husband had to get breakfast for the kids and get them ready for school on those mornings. But he knew it was important to me, and we figured out a way to do it.

Thanks, Katrina!

And, you must check out this great video for her latest book.

Katrina Kenison is the author of three books about motherhood including Mitten Strings for God, The Gift of an Ordinary Day and her most recent work, Magical Journey. A graduate of Smith College, Katrina Kenison spent many years working in publishing, first as an in-house editor at Houghton Mifflin Company in New Haven, New York, and Boston, and then, from 1990 through 2006,  as the series editor of The Best American Short Stories.  She co-edited, with John Updike, The Best American Short Stories of the Century. She is also the author, with her yoga teacher, Rolf Gates, of Meditations from the Mat: Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga.  With Kathleen Hirsch she co-edited an anthology of short stories about motherhood, Mothers: Twenty Stories of Contemporary Motherhood.

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Photo Credits: Katrina Kenison