thanksgiving

4Apr

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

Journalism

Mothers in prison aren’t likely to see their families this Thanksgiving – or any other day

On a mid-October morning, I drove from Philadelphia to State Correctional Institution Muncy, Pennsylvania’s oldest and largest women’s prison. Nearly two-thirds of imprisoned mothers have never received a visit from their children. Shutterstock/Sakhorn The prison, located in the north central part of the state, is set at the base of a mountain and encircled by farmlands, feed mills and the upper branch of the Susquehanna River. The 170-mile drive took nearly four hours. I was visiting Cynthia Alvarado. In 2010, a Philadelphia jury found Alvarado guilty of driving the getaway car in a robbery homicide. The judge gave her the same sentence as the man who pulled the trigger: life without the possibility of parole. I was there to discuss her case as part of project on Pennsylvania’s accompli...

Pull off a stress-free Thanksgiving dinner with this turkey day menu and timeline

Let’s face it, no matter how wonderful it is to be surrounded by family and friends on Thanksgiving, cooking for a group of people is an incredibly daunting task. For most people, prepping for turkey day takes days to mentally and physically prepare. In order to pull off a successful dinner that you’ll actually enjoy, planning ahead is key. That means shopping well in advance, cooking dishes in advance that hold well in the refrigerator and following our Thanksgiving menu and timeline. Here’s the menu the Southern Kitchen team will be whipping up come Thanksgiving: The Mains Oven-Roasted Turkey Virginia Willis’ Bourbon Baked Ham The Sides Grilled Kabocha Squash Salad with Maple Vinaigrette Oyster Cornbread Dressing Bebe’s Green Beans Bourbon Collard Greens Extra Cheesy Mac and Cheese...

A Thanksgiving Gratitude Exercise

When you are missing a loved one during this season of Thanksgiving, it is often difficult to feel thankful. Yes, you are grateful for eyes to see, ears to hear, limbs to move... and so on. But, what about the pain of loss and loneliness, feelings of abandonment, despair, and hopelessness? What about the fear of the future? We know that the holiday season heightens the emotions of loss and clients have even asked me if they can make this season simply disappear. Since you can't avoid the sights, sounds, and smells that imply happiness, family togetherness and traditions, gift sharing, and the like, I challenge you to find gratitude in what's in your heart. "How do I do that Dora?" A small act of gratitude produces enormous benefits for the mind, body, and spirit. Of course, the greate...