Columns
The Holy Purpose of Conflict
I have a family member who doesn’t obey the laws of the jungle, specifically the law that counsels never to corner an animal. In conflict with her, word by word, […]
Columns
Embracing the Lessons of Lent During the Season of Advent
Why as a Catholic is it so easy to be a Lenten people and so hard to be Advent ones? Last December, I sat in a friend’s living room with […]
Columns
Downtime vs. Screentime
I have a confession to make. My childhood was idyllic. I grew up with two parents, I never worried about food, and I had loads of time to play. Surrounding […]
Columns
Call Upon Me
The other day, my phone rang. When I picked up, the friend on the other end opened with an apology. Instead of “Hello” or “How are you?” or “Is this […]
Perspective
Keeping a Watchful Eye
“I finished it,” my 16-year-old son says as he emerges from the dark of the basement where he has been watching the 1995 film “Se7en,” a thriller about the seven […]
Perspective
AI and the Writing Soul
First, let me acknowledge that writing is difficult. As both a writer and writing instructor, I am acutely aware of how painful it is to give birth to an idea […]
Perspective
The Wounds We Share
“Mom, look! I have an owie on my ankle, I scraped my knee, and my toenail is ripping off.” So begins my 8-year-old daughter’s nightly litany of injuries her body […]