An Inspired Curiosity about Elephants It was my mother who inspired a curiosity about elephants. As a little girl, I marveled at the assorted collection of delicate figurines gently displayed around our house. The larger statuettes spirited long beautiful tusks. The smaller pocket-sized ones playfully boasted their own unique charm and color. According to mom, “Elephants possess wisdom and goodness. If the trunk is facing upward, it is said to bring prosperity and kindness. Moreover, a downward posture points to a long happy life.” Why the ancients believed these towering animals bring good tidings is lost in time. It was not long before I started to collect elephant treasures too. Some are made of wood while others are carved out of marble. Each opens a door to a wonderful memory every time it catches my attention. Over time, I enjoyed learning about the fascinating qualities that set these gentle…
Among the great works of western literature is Milton’s – Paradise Lost This timeless retelling of the book of Genesis is meritoriously placed alongside the brilliant writings of Shakespeare and Joyce. I finally mustered the courage to open the gate into Milton’s accounting of humanity’s fall and the redeeming grace that saves us. After taking in just a few verses, Milton pulled me deep inside with the same force the earth draws every object with mass towards its center. Truth be told, did the poetic prose become daunting at times? Absolutely, but only increasing my desire to dig deeper into the hidden meaning behind the words. Milton never let go of God’s sovereignty over his creation. Beauty, rebellion, tragedy and redemption were all there, cast through Milton’s eyes according to the Book of Genesis. Simply put – Paradise Lost is a masterpiece. Milton…
Acquiring a spirit of prayerful silence is vital to the interior life. It requires a real desire to detach all thought from the outside world to center only on the Divine Presence. For most of us, devoting time to a daily practice of “quiet prayer” is hard given everything always calling for our attention. It can be done. Despite the world’s constant disarray, we can learn how to be still to know that He is God. My pursuit of cultivating time for “quiet prayer” began with Saint Teresa of Avila’s work “The Interior Castle.” A gift from my father, I read the profoundly inspiring book while on an annual family trip to Montauk, Long Island (July 2007). Captured in my journal is the mystic’s description of a “magnificent castle” with multiple dwellings present within the soul. Avila saw this beautiful image in a vision. She elucidates, “The…
One of the earliest teachings my children learned centered on the practice of making good choices. As toddlers, picking out the movie to watch before bedtime or choosing the tastiest snack to pack away for school never required much debate. However, as they grew older, good decision-making became far more complex as the world around them unfolded a menu of different choices to accompany each new scenario. Soon enough, they were setting their own goals, shaping discipline into the art of study habits, making friends, and finding a unique way to bring “good” into the world. Along this journey, I put my heart into teaching them “how” to think and wisely discern without determining the outcome itself. Ultimately, it was their choice to make and abide by. The bigger the decision, the more time we spent thinking through the impact of possible moves like in the game of chess…
Life can unexpectedly drop a mystery into your day. One such situation took me by surprise on an early summer morning. Sticking to my usual routine, I was gearing up for the work day while sipping an extra hot cup of coffee. Suddenly, I heard a noise coming from outside the house. It was a fast, bumpy sound, like the clangor sneakers make tumbling in the dryer. With a few loud planes also flying overhead, I didn’t give it too much thought. Not long after I returned to my steaming cup, the strange sound returned. It was louder this time. While I am no Sherlock Holmes in the making, I sheepishly went outside to investigate, but found nothing suspicious. All was well. So with greater intention, I made my way back inside to finish breakfast. However, before reaching the kitchen table, I distinctly heard the muffling noise loud and…
