Mary Grace

What does volunteering teach you? This author explains how it helped her find a deeper way to live.

How Service Helped Me Find a Deeper Way to Live

Article / Volunteer

Explore more Grotto

Peruse these independent Chicago bookstores and find community, too.

Explore Chicago’s Literary Scene This Winter

Learn how music connects people by reading this story.

The Magic of Making Music With Others

Meditate on the feeling of belonging and experience the magic of it.

Meditating on the Magic of Belonging

Watch and meet Fragile Rock — a band made up of musicians and puppeteers.

This Band of Puppets Will Rock Your Socks Off

Sitting with the complexity of life can be uncomfortable, but it's necessary.

The Sacred Gray Area

Find out what you need to know about seasonal depression here.

What You Need to Know about Seasonal Depression

Has your imagination been inspired by a jazz concert? This author describes the beauty behind live music.

How Live Music Can Inspire Our Imagination

Look up into the night sky and see the beauty of the universe.

What the Night Sky Holds

Prayer at Winter Solstice poem by Dana Gioia: Winter night scene with snowfall lit by a streetlamp.

“Prayer at Winter Solstice”

Read this reflective narrative about improv acting.

How Improv Brings Back the Joy of Play