Foreword / by Emily P. Freeman -- Introduction: A note on staying put -- Part I: Staying friends. The art of the goodbye party ; Bot-scootin' boogie ; Nothing like old friends ; Book club -- Part II: Staying put. Sweat equity ; Stars hollow & sunsets ; On being the boss ; Obituaries ; Sally Field syndrome -- Part III: Staying faithful. When staying true means leaving ; Sharing a pew & passing the peace ; Lowering the bar ; Be Ringo ; When staying true means leaving, redux -- Part IV: Staying grounded. The front porch ; Namesakes ; Everybody writes about sisters ; A marriage story ; Life without children -- Part V: Staying you. A woman's place is in the paint ; Hair is everything ; Sam Malone & a house with a pool ; A life lived with books ; The importance of being earnest -- Epilogue: New York or nowhere

"In Ordinary Time, Annie Jones reflects on her unexpected life in a small town, running an independent bookstore, instead of the grand adventures she once envisioned. Over the years, she stayed in her marriage, her small-town life, and loyal to her faith, despite the world around her shifting toward digital and fast-paced living. As time passed, Annie had an epiphany: staying put, living quietly, and embracing the ordinary can be a radical and fulfilling act. Challenging the idea that only loud, adventurous lives matter, she finds joy and meaning in the small, everyday moments. Ordinary Time celebrates the power of staying where we are, appreciating the beauty and growth that can come from embracing a simple, rooted life"--