Celebrate Spring: Easter Egg Tree
I got the idea to celebrate spring with an Easter egg tree from my across the street neighbor, who is German and moved here with her husband and son due to employment with a major corporation. Though we had spoken outside on the street numerous times, I first crossed the [...]
Ritual for Earth Day
On the eve of Earth Day, Joe and I seized the coincidence of lovely weather and an unscheduled evening to enjoy a walking ritual at a park near our house. In a sort of mini-pilgrimage, at points along the way we read aloud blessings for each of the four elements. [...]
A Brief Burst of Beauty
In the spring season of new life, the natural world teaches about resurrection. Visiting Washington DC this week for my first-ever Cherry Blossom Festival I learned the Japanese word hanami, which literally means “to view flowers” but usually refers to the viewing of cherry blossoms. For more than 1000 years, the [...]
Ode to Trees
The soaring heights, elegant arches, and vast open spaces of Gothic cathedrals invite awe. As a college student studying abroad three decades ago, I wandered several times through Notre Dame in Paris, gazing upward and all around, amazed at the feats of engineering that produced such a worship space. Now [...]
Labyrinth Love
In his welcome to new parents last week, the president of St. Olaf College noted that no new or renovated buildings are opening this year but a labyrinth had been installed next to the chapel, which immediately piqued my interest. I have long loved labyrinths, and they feature prominently in [...]
No Minor Occasion
Our third and youngest child, Christian, is 18 years old today. Wow! Now in my bio I can state with total accuracy that I have three young adult children. I purchased the plastic “Happy Birthday” banner shown here on our oldest’s first birthday, launching a family tradition. Last night as [...]
Heirloom
Arriving in St. Paul last week to give a program based on my book, I drove directly to the James J. Hill House, a 42-room mansion built in 1891 on a bluff overlooking downtown, to visit an heirloom. I love historic sites and was quite entranced with this one when [...]
Round of Life
For the ancient Celts, the year began on November 1, as the light gradually diminished to winter’s darkness. It was to them the “thinnest” period of the year, when the veil between time and eternity could be transparent. My Celtic ancestry seems to awaken in late October to relish this [...]
Montessori Lessons for Life
Our youngest just departed for his first day of senior year in high school! Early this morning, I found myself recollecting his early days of Montessori preschool, thinking fondly of his teacher, and remembered the piece below, which I wrote in May 2002 as he finished kindergarten. Re-reading it now, [...]
Day of Contentment
I'm 50 years old, today. There! I said it. I always love my birthday, but this particular milestone has been giving me pause -- it sounds so much older than I think of myself being. Because of the imminent start of school and my older kids' returns to college, we [...]
Peace of the Running Wave
Acting on a whim one dreary morning last March, I booked four nights at a bed-and-breakfast in Saugatuck, MI, just for Joe and me, our first-ever real vacation without the kids. On a family trip here two years ago, I had fallen in love with Oval Beach, and my heart’s [...]
Farm Farewell
“I will stay until the wind changes,” says Mary Poppins, with typical aplomb, when the Banks children beg her never to leave. I love this scene in the movie. It’s like saying that when the Holy Spirit calls, she will respond, a detachment that St. Ignatius would applaud. This exchange [...]
Tradition and Change at Christmas — Part 2
I was not expecting a second part when I wrote my earlier post about simplifying our Christmas decorating a bit now that our children are increasingly away from home. Adapting to changing circumstances by doing less actually brought more satisfaction with the holiday, we discovered. Conversely, our daughter’s brief return [...]
Tradition and Change at Christmas
Creating and adhering to family traditions has been significant to our life as parents raising our children. Joe and I both are people who treasure tradition, so it came naturally to us to anchor our family holiday celebrations in meaningful practices. The word "tradition" seems synonymous with "unchanging," but as [...]
In the Sukkah
Blessed are you, Lord, our God, sovereign of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to dwell in the sukkah. Amen. Blessed are you, Lord, our God, sovereign of the universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season. [...]
Building a Sukkah
After the ingathering from your threshing floor and your vat, you shall hold the Feast of Booths for seven days . . . for the Lord your God will bless all your crops and all your undertakings, and you shall have nothing but joy. (Deut. 16: 13-17) You shall live [...]
Remembering September 11, 2001
Every year at this time, I recollect what a perfectly beautiful September day it was. Driving my children to school that morning, I remember feeling grateful that the academic year had settled into a positive routine, especially for our youngest starting full-day kindergarten. The blue, blue sky affirmed that all [...]
Blueberry Blessings
I wrote this essay several years ago, but it continues to express my feelings about this delicious summer fruit. Blueberries are the quintessential symbol of summer to me. Just as the season hits its full swing, these blue gems reach their perfect state of plumpness and taste sweet with just [...]
