Sue Bender’s struggle is one keenly felt in today’s intensely pressured world: how can we live fully in the moment? Like the vibrant yet simple quilts that led her to live within the Amish community, as recounted in the bestselling Plain and Simple, the empty begging bowl is an inspirational symbol in Everyday Sacred. Just as a Zen monk goes out each morning with an empty bowl in his hands and accepts whatever is placed in it as his nourishment, so can we start each day afresh and find that extraordinary things come our way. Everyday Sacred teaches us that each step along life’s journey is a miraculous opportunity to learn. Whatever we are doing – meditating, weeding a garden, or listening to a friend – can be done with our full attention and love. It is these small acts that make every day sacred. Born in New York City, Sue Bender received her B. A. from Simmons College and her M. A. from the Harvard University School of Education. She taught high school in New York and English at the Berlitz School in Switzerland. She later earned a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of California at Berkeley. During her active years as a family therapist, Bender was founder and Director of CHOICE: The Institute of the Middle Years. Sue Bender is also a ceramic artist and much sought after lecturer nationwide. She lives in Berkeley, California with her husband Richard, and is the mother of two grown sons. “[This book] moved my whole being, seeped into my skin."– Natalie Goldberg, author of Banana Rose | Everyday Sacred by Sue Bender, Paperback | Indigo Chapters