Sometimes we choose our journeys, and sometimes they choose us. Sometimes you know the destination but you’re not quite sure how you’ll get there. Sometimes you blink and suddenly discover you’re almost at your destination. Sometimes journeys are smooth, and sometimes they’re painful. But they all lead somewhere—and often to exactly where we ought to […]
Blog
Gift ideas: Shopping for a six-foot stuffed goose?
Christmas is coming, and ads are everywhere. My social media feed is full of gift suggestions that make me wonder who they think I’m buying gifts for this year.
Preparing for Change
As we look ahead to Advent, it almost feels as if nature is paving the way to that time, calling us to let the fading vibrancy of autumn go, and be open to the journey ahead. Change can be wonderful, but it can also be hard.
What little we have to give
The other day I was in a meeting at work. We were introducing ourselves to a group of people visiting from outside our organization. When it was time for one of my coworkers to introduce himself, he mentioned he had just started working there recently. The person leading the meeting laughed. He dismissed my new […]
The loss of a pet and a visit with Padre Pio
Padre Pio was such a holy man with a deep devotion to the Eucharist. He lived a life full of miracles. I really wanted to visit his relics while they were in Baltimore.
Everyday Memories of Those Who’ve Gone Before
You never know what will make you remember the people you miss. Rainbows make me think of our late neighbors, John and Loretta. We shared such a beautiful rainbow with them one summer afternoon. Reaching up to close a window takes my mind to our friend Father Tom. He once told me how he felt […]
100 Masses in a Year
Back in December, my husband told me about a friend who set a goal to spend 100 hours on his boat during 2023. I found myself wondering what I could do 100 times in a year. I told our oldest son that maybe I would try to go to 100 Masses. “You probably already go […]
Haussner’s Memories (25 Years Later)
There were those sweet little chocolate chip muffins that came in the breadbasket. Then there were the decadent platters of food that came steaming out of the kitchen. But what I remember best about Haussner’s Restaurant was gazing up at the artwork that covered every inch of the walls. We didn’t eat out much as […]
God comes to us
I love a celestial phenomenon, but I never thought I would see the Northern Lights. I certainly didn’t imagine I would see them from my front porch, not far outside Baltimore, in a neighborhood full of light pollution. But then Thursday night happened. A colleague sent a message and encouraged us to look outside. There […]
Thinking of Eric today
It has been seven years since my brother-in-law Eric died. It doesn’t feel that long, and yet it also feels like longer. Time can be so odd. Today, as we are missing him, I am thinking of how we never really lose the people we love. But I also know that there is an Eric-shaped […]
St. Thérèse: We have only today
Over the years, I have come to marvel at St. Thérèse’s “little way.” I love the idea of taking simple, small steps on the road toward sainthood.
A Trip to the Book Barn
The books I brought home may have had one owner or 10. They may have passed through dozens of children’s hands or been treasured by a single person who kept them intact.