“Where do we come from?” is perhaps the most popular existential question. Over the years, there have been numerous possible answers: the Big Bang, divine creation over seven days, adaption from single-celled organisms. Ultimately,... Read More

“‘Tis one thing to be tempted, another thing to fall,” says Angelo, a powerful lord in William Shakespeare’s play Measure for Measure. The play shows how temptation abounds throughout life, and though some enticements are easy to... Read More

Most Americans have a story about how their family came to America. As children they heard stories of their grandparents arriving in an unknown and sometimes untamed world with practically nothing, and it’s likely that many of the... Read More

Unlike most flowers, crocuses bloom in the most adverse conditions. While other flowers need aerated beds and warm weather, crocuses grow best in gritty soil and blossom in early spring, even when snow is still on the ground. In a way,... Read More

Gangster Al Capone once commented that “This American system of ours…gives each and every one of us a great opportunity if we only seize it with both hands and make the most of it.” Despite the fact that it’s coming from a known... Read More

When historians study the broad reach of US presidential elections, they will undoubtedly look at the 2008 election with particular interest and not just because Barack Obama became the first African-American president. Indeed, they will... Read More

St. Thomas Aquinas once said, “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.” It’s the quote that comes to mind when reading "I Will Glory in the Cross", a short autobiography... Read More

The mid-nineteenth century saw the rise of Spiritualism, a religion which taught that people could communicate and interact with spirits in the afterlife. Practitioners participated in activities such as séances and card readings to... Read More