All posts tagged: gatherings

People Who Find Family Gatherings Exhausting But Show Up Anyway Usually Have These 11 Exceptionally Rare Habits

People Who Find Family Gatherings Exhausting But Show Up Anyway Usually Have These 11 Exceptionally Rare Habits

Family gatherings are important. Let’s be honest, though, they can be exhausting. Even if you have a great relationship with your family members, coming together can feel overwhelming at times. When everyone is together, it’s not always comfortable. There can be drama or frustrating conversations. Whether intentional or not, they can make gatherings difficult. Even if these things happen, someone with rare habits will still find ways to show up. It’s something they feel compelled to do for family. They can put other people before themselves when they know it’s the right thing to do. People who find family gatherings exhausting but show up anyway usually have these 11 exceptionally rare habits 1. They put others first JackF from Getty Images via Canva Sometimes, we have to put other people before ourselves. Some people have more success with that than others. They are in the rare habit of putting others first, no matter what. Even on their worst days, they can put their feelings aside to do what other people need of them. It’s something …

Pope Leo announces second consistory, promising yearly gatherings of cardinals

Pope Leo announces second consistory, promising yearly gatherings of cardinals

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — As Pope Leo XIV’s first extraordinary consistory, or gathering of cardinals, came to a close, he announced plans to hold a second one in June on the feast day of Sts. Peter and Paul, and once every year, signifying plans to further include cardinals in the leadership of the Catholic Church. About 170 cardinals met at the Vatican on Wednesday and Thursday (Jan. 7 and 8). They focused on themes of synodality and evangelization — topics they discussed divided into 21 groups seated around tables. Representatives for nine of the groups — which included members of the curia, voting cardinals and nuncios — briefed the pope on the discussions after each session. All other groups sent their reflections to the pope via email. “The pope did more listening than talking,” said Cardinal Pablo Virgilio Siongco David, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, during a press conference at the Vatican on Thursday evening. He said that Leo brought a notebook to the meeting, leading David to believe that the …

How family gatherings unlock forgotten childhood memories that help us understand who we really are

How family gatherings unlock forgotten childhood memories that help us understand who we really are

If you’re driving home for Christmas (insert Chris Rea earworm here) – and by that I mean the old family home – you’re likely to be experiencing a familiar mix of excited anticipation and faint dread of being trapped in close quarters with relatives. There’s nothing like Christmas for mental time travel triggered by family traditions and well-worn arguments. You might also have the sort of family, like mine, which often insists on perceiving and treating you as you were 40-plus years ago. Although I’m closer than I’d like to 50, my father still voices concerns about me crossing roads, “wrapping up warm” and leaving electric plugs switched on. I will forever be his little girl. Since our identity is in part created by how those around us see us and behave towards us, the festive season can temporarily cause us to regress to a past, childish version of our self – and this isn’t always welcome. But I’d like to suggest there is a silver lining of opportunity here though: the chance to gain …