September 22, 2012

Signs and Sacraments: When a Dress (or a Heart) Is Something More…

The other day I came across this heart-warming story about a young Jewish couple, interred in one of the work camps during World War II. She wanted to be married in a white dress, and he wanted to make her dreams come true. Sixty years and dozens of brides later, the dress was showcased in the Holocaust Museum. Made from a parachute, the well-worn dress became a symbol of love and hope in a time when hatred and despair prevailed. Like many of the signs and symbols of our lives, the worth of this sacramental of love far exceeded its monetary value. I recently broke […]
July 17, 2011

Thoughts of a Working Mom (to Be)

Anyone re-entering the workplace after taking time to pursue other goals — college, family, or writing the next Great American Novel — knows that finding the ramp back to the fast track can be a daunting experience.  (For those who live in Michigan, it’s more of a “painfully slow” track, but I digress.) Coming up with a plausible explanation for any gaps in the resume is one thing; being able to articulate how these non-revenue-producing endeavors have contributed to one’s personal bottom line is something else. So this past week, I’ve been thinking about my vocation as a wife and mother, and above all as a child of God.  Even the word […]
May 28, 2008

“Sex and the City” A Microcosm of Real Life?

Today on “Catholic Connection,” Teresa Tomeo was discussing “Sex and the City,” the new movie based on the hit television series starring Sarah-Jessica Parker and company. Teresa mentioned a study that was conducted on young women (not yet married) about how “Sex and the City” influenced their own dating life. Perhaps predictably, the effect overall was a negative one … and some felt that it glamorized the ultra-feminist perspective that “a gal should be free to ‘have fun’ and do everything [including bed-hop] a man can do.” The thing is (having watched the show a time or two myself), I can recall several story lines […]