4. I have recently discovered that Dollar Stores in our area (and probably in yours, too) have books, hardback and paperback, for $1.00 each. The selection is not very large, but they have fiction and non-fiction and books for grown-ups and children, too. A book can make a great gift and at a $1.00 price it makes great economic sense, too.

5. Bookstore chain stores, like Hastings, have clearance tables somewhere in store all time. It takes some time to look through them, but I have bought many gifts from these clearance tables.

6. If you know of a book you'd really like to have, why not just let your family know? Your mom or your sister or husband would probably love to give you a gift for Christmas or your birthday that is something that they know you really want.

7. And don't forget your local library! The library is a wonderful place to get a book you've been wanting to read without having to buy it. You can also read latest issues of most magazines at library. I consider public libraries to be one of "finer things in life"!

So, if you, too, are an avid reader, or if you're guiding your children to a lifetime love of reading, there are lots of ways to "read on cheap"!

It’s especially important to hang in there when children are involved. I’m not saying to stay just for children. If you are with a physically violent partner, or a partner who has no desire to take any personal responsibility, or a substance abuser who has no desire to heal from his or her addiction, then you may need to leave. But if you have a partner who is on a growth path, who is willing to explore with you, who is willing to have counseling with you, who is willing to learn to take responsibility for him or herself, then leaving is not answer. No matter how difficult things get at times, you have a responsibility to yourself, your partner, your family, as well as to whole of humanity to do learning you came to this planet to do.

If you are fortunate enough to be with a partner who is, at least at some of time, opens to learning with you, you are fortunate indeed. The relationship will take you to depths of your dark side and to heights of your ability to love. It will take you where you need to go, so don’t give up just because it’s so hard. The challenge is to be doing a daily Inner Bonding practice of going within, connecting with yourself and with Spirit, and learning what it means to move beyond control, beyond resistance, beyond punishing other, beyond threats and bullying, beyond blame, beyond being victim, beyond compliance, and beyond fear. The challenge is to be healing your wounded self and developing your loving adult, which occurs in growing relationships when both people are devoted to becoming loving adults. The challenge is to be guided more and more by your spiritual Guidance and less and less by your ego/wounded self.

Even if you think that you are open and your partner isn’t, it would be in your highest good to stay in relationship until you are able to remain loving to yourself and your partner no matter what your partner is doing. As long as you are triggered by your partner’s behavior, your healing is not complete and there is no point in leaving. If you reach a point where you are no longer triggered by your partner’s behavior, you might discover that your partner has also changed, even though you believed he or she was not open to learning and growing. If your partner remains closed and there is really nothing more for you to learn, then it might be time for you to leave.

Get both feet in there and do your inner work before even thinking about leaving. Don’t let your wounded self decide your relationship for you. Don’t leave until you know that you are fully guided to do so from a spiritual source of wisdom and truth. Don’t waste this opportunity to evolve your soul in love.