Think of ballet, literature, and Goya. What comes to mind? Elitist rhetoric regarding so-called “high art” is powerful. This reality lends force to "alternative," "protest," and "people's art" of all sorts. Tolstoy describes this dichotomy in "What is Art?" Ironically, the famous novelist came to believe that "high art” lacked “naturalness,” and he rejected most literary endeavors late in life. This spirited grappling attested to an awareness that art is crucial for identifying and shaping a

This time of year, many of us are just hours away from the start of a delightfully long holiday break. Whether you’re gearing up to celebrate the holiday in a big way or just eagerly anticipating time away from the job, your attention-to-detail may already be flagging by now. Maybe you’re already dreading that first day back in the office when you’re forced to leave behind the comfort of home and force yourself back into a work-world frame of mind. Here are some tips on how to make that

“I haven’t found the peace of Christmas yet,” my mother announced one Christmas over 20 years ago. She was in her eighties and still full of vim and vigor, visiting me from Ohio. We were decorating my Christmas tree together, and she had been telling me all about the fun social gatherings that she had participated in. “Even so, I haven’t found the peace of Christmas,” she sighed. I had never really pondered finding peace at Christmas time before, but I have been searching for it ever since. It

The night before Christmas I used be full of anticipation. I’d listen to my mother wrapping presents on the ironing board, the thump of boxes, the screech of paper being ripped, and folded around her gifts in the room next to mine. She worked late into the night. I fell asleep hoping I’d see my desires fulfilled. They were. My parents put a lot of thought into our gifts. I still own the glass panther and unicorn they commissioned for my brother and me. One Christmas, my father replaced my mother

Apparently, any family that survived Thanksgiving intact should be thankful indeed. Media warnings abounded that impeachment disputes threatened family tranquility. One newspaper even urged that political debate be banned except in certain specially equipped "tranquility rooms." Now, ominously, we are careening toward another family holiday with the same grave danger looming. What is going on here? First, to the extent that this threat actually exists , it is one more depressing symptom of the

In 1989, James Jordan sent a letter to his cousin, Andrew Carroll. A fire had destroyed the Carroll home. No one was hurt, but the loss of family photos and mementos was painful. So Jordan sent him a piece of family history, a letter that blossomed into more than 150,000 letters. Jordan, a pilot in World War II, wrote home three weeks before the Nazi surrender and described the liberation of a concentration camp. He wrote: “I saw something today that made me realize why we’re over here fighting

In an effort to increase efficiency, I was clearing the piles from my desk yesterday. While eliminating the clutter, I was reminded of Saint Teresa of Ávila. Born in 1515, she did not devote herself to writing and founding convents until well into her forties. Until her death at the age of 67, she wrote thousands of pages of poetry, prose and letters while on the road establishing new religious communities. At a time when forty was considered elderly, Saint Teresa was just hitting her stride.

Well, what do you know? It’s already the end of the year! Yeah, time flies, right? I don’t know about you, but this year has been extra stressful. Collectively, we have seen some truly troubling events. The Mueller report… indictments of Trump allies… wildfires and other natural disasters … impeachment of the president… And, most tragically, several mass shootings. And that was just on the news! All that in addition to the day to day rigors of work and family. Now, as we careen toward the

Here’s a “What would you do if…” situation I recently encountered. Outside the Art Institute in Chicago, I saw a crowd gathered around a man with a cat and a “Grumpy Cat” sign. What alarmed me was the cat was motionless. Something was wrong, I felt. How could a cat sit so still amid throngs of people and cars whizzing by? I could only imagine that the cat had been drugged. But I walked away -- feeling nauseous, helpless and weak. I left a message at the Anti-Cruelty Society with no response but

Does it make you sad that so many small towns are struggling? Do you get angry that online businesses don’t pay their share of property and sales taxes, and your taxes go up instead? Then here’s a request. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that everything is cheaper and easier to buy on the internet. An example: Does your favorite charity encourage you to buy from Amazon Smile? Amazon says it will donate a part of the profit on every purchase you make. Don’t do it. It’s a bad deal. The amount