The indulgence of self-loathing and William Blake’s “mind-forg’d manacles”
Recognizing oneself as inadequate and unsatisfactory has an appealing allure of maturity and self-awareness, but it is childish indulgence. Everyone knows people […]
In a family you may be misunderstood but rarely not known
In the course of family life, children grow and separate from their family. This development can lead to a feeling of estrangement. […]
Practically Speaking: St. Edith Stein on the Emotional Power of Objective Work
Edith Stein, also known by her religious name Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, offered penetrating observations about women—with their capacity for […]
Novelist Elizabeth Strout and the rhythm of work in motherhood
For many women, motherhood is a brief hobby in a life full of other interests and occupations. It can be startling to […]
Living requires something worth dying for
If you have ever ventured into the strange realms of internet echo chambers known as TikTok, the author offers her condolences for […]
What stories of dignified mice can tell us about human dignity
Few creatures are as repulsive to urban sophisticates as the lowly mouse. Vectors of disease that rummage through our pantries and leave […]
1000 Hours Outside: How to make the ideal a daily inspiration
One of the strange things about living in the world is that it is only now and then one is quite sure […]
Jerry Spinelli’s “Mama Seeton’s Whistle” and a landscape without mothers
In an average suburban neighborhood, young children are rarely seen with their mothers during standard business hours. Progress, we are told, is […]
Beatrix Potter’s “The Tale of Jemima Puddle-duck” and teaching children the value of rational fear
An interesting contrast exists between Beatrix Potter’s charming little story of predation, The Tale of Jemima Puddle-duck, published in 1908, and Michael […]
Sydney Taylor’s “All-of-a-Kind Family” and the marvelous art of storytelling
Our culture continues to suffer severe confusion when it comes to stories. We are trapped in a hellish, post-modern landscape in which […]