Category: Anthropology
Natasha and the Danger of Flirtation
In Tolstoy’s War and Peace, there is a terrible incident which results from the most ordinary of occurrences, a pretty young girl catches the eye of a good looking young man. How often does one enjoy the flattery of being thought handsome or charming? Is it not one of little thrills of life to catch the eye … Continue reading Natasha and the Danger of Flirtation
In Hope of Very Wonderful Things, An Easter Reflection
I would like to briefly juxtapose one story with another, the story of The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit with the story of the Resurrection in the Gospels. At the end of Nesbit’s The Railway Children, an old gentlemen comes to visit the family at Three-Chimney’s. He believes there is reason to hope that their father who has been unjustly … Continue reading In Hope of Very Wonderful Things, An Easter Reflection
In Defense of the Useless, Part I
A liberal arts education, like love, is best when it is useless. ‘Useless’ is a philosophic term which refers to that which is enjoyed for its own sake, that which has purpose, value, and meaning in and of itself. Joseph Pieper discusses the useless on page 41 of his essay In Defense of Philosophy. What he refers to as “philosophy,” he elsewhere refers to … Continue reading In Defense of the Useless, Part I
The Sign of Jonah, Part II: Typology
I have been upon rough seas and swallowed whole by a great fish. Only, the belching forth was my own work. A bit of a stomach bug is going about, and I received a share in it for my birthday today. The story of the cross may refer to Christ’s passion or to the totality of the Gospel. Talk about one … Continue reading The Sign of Jonah, Part II: Typology
Foolish Wisdom Part IV: On the Folly of Advice
This series has been written by a divorcee, by a man whose success in love and loving is limited. My right to give advice is questionable. The act of doing so is not only ironic, but also somewhat humorous. I say all that, not to shame myself, but to assure my reader that if I speak … Continue reading Foolish Wisdom Part IV: On the Folly of Advice
Foolish Wisdom, Part III
It can be easier to point out problems, rather than solutions. To discover healthy spousal love is to discover something so complete and complex that a list of rules will never do. In fact, rules can be a serious stumbling block, just as emotions. If someone were to ask me about love, I might point … Continue reading Foolish Wisdom, Part III
On Romance & the Spouse
The dangers of romance are obvious: the feelings don’t last the experience is often accompanied by self deception It can be an excuse for all kinds of harmful behavior But lest in avoiding one evil we commit ourselves to a greater one, romance should be given its proper place. The calculation of self-interest is more deadly to the soul … Continue reading On Romance & the Spouse
Athanasius, Christ, Metanoia, & the Camera Obscura
“You know what happens when a portrait that has been painted on a panel becomes obliterated through external stains. The artist does not throw away the panel, but the subject of the portrait has to come and sit for it again, and then the likeness is re-drawn on the same material. Even so was it … Continue reading Athanasius, Christ, Metanoia, & the Camera Obscura
A Word on Hope: Vocation in Light of the Baltimore Riots, Part III.a of III
Part III.a When I began working on this series, I wanted to respond to the idea that “rioters simply need to get a job.” There is a certain naivete in suggesting that the right job could alleviate despair and serve as a sufficient source of human fulfillment. At the same time, many of us draw … Continue reading A Word on Hope: Vocation in Light of the Baltimore Riots, Part III.a of III
Same & Other 