Goodbye, Year of Mercy

As the Year of Mercy comes to a close, Catholics across the world have celebrated the feast of Christ the King and will soon be lighting Advent candles. This particular moment in the liturgical year - the transition from one cycle to another, from end to beginning - more than ever puts before believers the conviction of reliance on God.

Last Sunday Christians declared Jesus as King of the Universe, "before all things, and in him all things hold together, that in all things he himself might be preeminent." Blasting organs and joyful alleluias filled the air and the grandeur of Christianity reigned. Yet, this Sunday, the same congregations will gather in comparatively quiet churches, with no Gloria sung. We now await Jesus, hope for a savior - a king - to come, rather than rejoicing that we have been "delivered out of darkness and transferred into his kingdom." We are suddenly in darkness - lighting candles one by one each week, the light growing stronger in anticipation, preparing for Christ to come, the "great light."

"The Crown" Trumps Trump

It is rather fitting that Netflix released their original series The Crown at a time when Americans are probably wishing they were living in England, away from the ill wind of this election, sipping tea happily with queens and princes. While America is in turmoil about how its POC and minority communities are going to be treated under Trump, The Crown really really makes the viewer wish they could just be out duck shooting and having to choose between Clarence House and Buckingham Palace. Yet the show does not merely give us a point of nostalgia and escapism, but of comparison, pertinent to our tumultuous times.

Like Coldplay, We're Going to "Fix You" America

Donald Trump won the 2016 Presidential Election. Everyone take a deep breath, and exhale slowly - very slowly, because that's the part that actually calms you down.

Now, let's talk about how the United States is a free country, where every citizen is allowed to vote freely, and sometimes, that vote is a very difficult choice to make. So many people are making generic statements that the country is backwards, full of hate, and shameful; that everyone who voted for Trump must have those qualities, too.

Sure, there are many people who exercised their civic right - and duty - yesterday who are ignorant, racist, sexist, and [insert -ist here]. And it is sad, that in 2016, those are still qualities we are battling. Minority groups have a right to be nervous. Trump has said some incredibly worrisome things. However, some of those Trump voters are not -ists, and we have to hope they will continue to protect all the citizens of this country.

The Anxiety of Aptitude

Photo by Impartnow.org

High school report card. All As and A+s. Calculus teacher comments: "Has aptitude in this area."

So what?

Aptitude is a fancy word that simply means "a natural ability to do or learn something" according to Merriam-Webster. When I finally realized that, I remember processing my report cards, which always had that phrase next to my math and science courses. Granted, I'm pretty sure those report card systems just have coined phrases that teachers can choose from, so maybe it didn't really mean anything, but these comments always set me into a minor panic. Aptitude in math and science? Does that mean that's what I am supposed to pursue?

Turn Your Memes into Actions

Identity construction is nothing new. It's natural to ask “Who am I?” and “What am I looking for?” and “Why am I here?”  From philosophers and theologians, to sociologists and psychologists, to playwrights and rock stars, small and great minds alike have looked at themselves and pondered.

The answers are as complex and confusing as the human brain. People are complicated, and how they grapple with constructing their identities shows that. Trending on Facebook recently was the challenge to describe oneself in three fictional characters. This is an easy way to both categorize oneself in the familiar, but also to show many facets of one’s personality. I say easy, but let’s be real, settling on three characters is tough! And what will people think of the characters you have chosen?

Swipe Right for Fictional Men

I recently sat around the kitchen table with my cousin, discussing which Austen man would be best for each of us. This is a game I can play for hours, as many times as necessary. We went through the merits of each man, and in doing so had to closely examine our own selves and our own hearts and desires. Mr. Darcy is rich and eventually thoughtful, but is he too serious? Edward Ferrars is sweet and attentive, but is he too quiet? What am I looking for?

Of course, they are all good men, and to end up with any of them would be a better match than many. The game, though, got me wondering how most people construct their idea of the partner they want. In an age of hook ups, clearly the men of Austen are not the model of attainment. Captain Wentworth, after all, feels so guilty that he even gave the impression of favoring Louisa Musgrove when he didn’t mean to. He would never have used her physically with no intentions.

Listen to Lead

What have you listened to today?

That seems like an easy question to answer: the morning radio show, the news, the car horns outside my window, my boss giving me directions for the day.

We spend much of the day listening, and yet, do we know how to truly listen? Lately the message I have been getting is, no, we don't.