Harvesting Stardust

As we come up on a year of Covid-19, I’ve heard many people, especially younger people, comment sadly on how they feel the past year was a wasted one: 365 precious days snatched from their life. I’ve felt that way myself at times, too. I know people who have had celebrations of major life milestones like graduations cancelled, to say nothing of the everyday sacrifices of parties, coffee dates, and holidays. Even the things we do get to enjoy are often tainted by a low level of anxiety. It’s the most natural thing in the world to feel despondent, even robbed. Is it true, though, to say that the past…

We’ve reached this point in quarantine, folks. My sister Olivia and I have been marking the passage of time by throwing ourselves little wine parties on Fridays, and over time, it’s actually given us a chance to sample quite a few wines. Being the Disney fans we are, it wasn’t long before we had the idea to post wine pairings for six of our favorite Disney Princess movies! We had so much fun putting this little guide together for you, and we hope you enjoy profiting from it as much as we enjoyed creating it! Disclaimer: Possibly obvious from the title, but we are not mature ladies who have been…

Winter has arrived, and many of us are settling in for what’s sure to be a long few months at home. How better to pass the time than with a good book? In that spirit, I decided to offer five book recommendations for the upcoming season, just like I did last fall. I’ve read and enjoyed all of the following books; any of them would make great companions for cold winter nights. 1. Anna Karenina by Leo TolstoyAnna Karenina is a sprawling novel, epic in its scope, which tells the story of an aristocratic woman who embarks on an extramarital affair. Everyone should read this classic at least once; it…

Nature can be a profound teacher. Looking to divine revelation for guidance is good and necessary, but God speaks through creation too. Humans are natural beings, and other natural beings are beacons, showing us how to fulfill God’s plan without the turmoil that comes from free will. Right now, autumn is at its height. Every day that goes by brings another shower of leaves, another layer of loss. Many people find autumn depressing; after all, it’s a reminder of the march of time. Time inevitably takes things away. The fact that this process is natural isn’t always comforting. It takes a lot of wisdom, or a lot of stoicism, to…

In a previous post, I mentioned that I wanted to read more this fall. Reading a good book is the perfect way to pass a cozy autumn afternoon, but sometimes it can be hard to find books that are exactly what we’re craving. I love getting book recommendations from others, so I want to share some books that I’ve read and loved in the past that are perfectly suited to fall. Without further ado, here are my picks for this year’s list! 1. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar WildeDorian Gray is the outward image of perfection: a sensitive and beautiful aesthete, beloved by all who lay eyes on…

“There is something in humility which strangely exalts the heart.” – St. Augustine Being human, I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about myself. My appearance, whether I appear intelligent and competent to others, and whether I’m getting what I deserve out of every situation are all popular subjects for my internal monologue. Rarely does the reality match up with my ideal. In fact, the more I obsess over these questions, the unhappier I become. It’s taken me a long time to realize the extent to which these thoughts are rooted in pride, and even longer for me to realize how deftly pride can rob us of our peace…

I find the fall season utterly enchanting. Many people don’t like the drop in temperature and decrease in light, but the onset of autumn fills me with a deep sense of contentment that’s hard to describe. It’s not the lighthearted joy of spring, when we feel our cares lifting away. Fall marks a return to the responsibilities we held onto more loosely in summer, but it also presents us with an opportunity to consider these responsibilities and priorities, and examine whether they’re in line with our visions for our lives. Autumn is a grounding time, one I’ve personally found better for setting intentions than the start of the New Year.…

As I write this, it’s Sunday. I had to remind myself of that fact several times over the course of the day. During the past few months in quarantine, there’s been little distinction between the days of my week. I’ve never found it so difficult to follow the Third Commandment. After all, I think, if I can’t go to Mass, how is Sunday different from any other day? But that kind of thinking is wrong. Sunday is still the Lord’s day, whether I can get to Mass or not. But it does take a little extra attention and focus to elevate it and differentiate it from the rest of the…

As summer winds down and the school year approaches, the debate over whether and how to reopen schools becomes ever more pressing. Many of us hoped when the schools closed last spring that the risk of coronavirus would have lessened significantly by now. Unfortunately, the virus is still very much with us. Parents of school-aged children have a difficult choice to make: should I send my children back? The argument for reopening schools seems to hinge on the claim that the education children receive in school is worth the risk of exposure to Covid-19. No parent wants to see their child struggle academically. If returning to school provides a vastly…

You can learn a lot about people from their collections. Even the fact that a person has a particular collection can be a revelation in itself. I remember when I first found out that a childhood friend of mine collected Precious Moments china figurines. At first I was surprised, because I hadn’t met her that long ago and hadn’t pegged her as the kind of girl who would collect Precious Moments. But, as I got to know her better, I internalized this nugget of information and realized that her collection made perfect sense. Although not all of us collect objects, there is something that everyone collects, whether we know it…