Magical Spaces
At the beginning of the pandemic, I started experiencing derealization. I felt like I was watching my life go by, like it was a movie. As the world was put on pause for almost two years, I fell into an everyday routine of questioning: Am I really living? Am I making the most of my life?
“In This Place, I Find Hope”
The garden by the stream is more than an escape for David. When he’s worried or overwhelmed, he’s returned to this place to get away but also to reflect, to learn, and to find peace. And even after hitting some of his most painful lows, he found solace in this magical place — and hope for a better future.
The Magic of Making Music With Others
The Sacred Gray Area
This Band of Puppets Will Rock Your Socks Off
Meditating on the Magic of Belonging
What the Night Sky Holds
How Live Music Can Inspire Our Imagination
How Improv Brings Back the Joy of Play
Fairy Doors and the Call to Connection
Road Trip These Pilgrimage Destinations
“Crossroads”
The Magic of Small Lights in the Darkness
Take Me Home: A Grotto Short Film
The Art Behind the Icon
Fadi Mikhail was initially apprehensive about iconography. He saw the art form as meticulous, even boring. All that changed after he watched an iconographer paint — and then tried it himself. Now, he finds beauty and depth in the process of iconography and sees the bigger picture behind each painting.
How Magical Realism Helped Form My Imagination
“When I was in high school, I was assigned to read a short essay in the first week of Spanish class. I wasn’t too worried about it because my language skills were strong, and it was only a few pages. It shouldn’t take me more than twenty minutes to read through it, right? How hard could it be?”
The Magic of Mythical Storytelling
Why do myths endure us? Myths not only touch on the origins and role of humanity, but they teach us about the values and beliefs of past civilizations. This author goes in depth about the magic of mythical storytelling.
Why I’m Most at Home in a Library
Libraries hold magic for Shemaiah. Not only are they doorways to new stories and worlds and characters, but as a bookworm, she feels at home being surrounded by books and fellow readers. For her, the library is more than a place — it’s an opportunity for community.
“Souvenir”
“These days Jill and I don’t speak our middle // sister’s name as often as we did the first few // years after she died at fifty-nine. But it’s the end // of June when we’d meet our cousins there, // so we call her back, her name thick in our talk”
Take Me Home: A Grotto Short Film
Welcome to the loving community of Sharing Meadows. Made up of five villages, this 185-acre land is home to other-abled adults. Over 20 years ago, Father Dennis Blaney started the SHARE Foundation to help parents and families of other-abled individuals. Today, Sharing Meadows provides housing, community, and work for all their residents.
The Magic of Small Lights in the Darkness
“I was filled with excitement as my neighborhood cloaked itself in a soft Christmas glow. I remember squinting my eyes until the lights blurred together. Those blurry lights filled my heart with joy and wonder as I was overcome with the beauty of the lights in the darkness.”
“Crossroads”
“The Muse is the doe // in the road you miss // hitting, the one crossing // on cautious hooves, // sniffing the air // for your secrets.”
Road Trip These Pilgrimage Destinations
“Pilgrimages don’t have to be costly, long, or travel-intensive — the practice of them serves as a physical reminder of spiritual realities.”
Fairy Doors and the Call to Connection
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Janelle went on walks along a trail with her sons and mom in order to stay connected while social distancing. One day, they came across a tiny door built into a nearby tree. This is the story of how these “fairy doors” brought a community together — and gave them hope when they needed it most.
Local Films, Local Theater
For videographer Ronald Short, attending the Indy Film Fest was a homecoming of sorts. Now living in Texas, he returned to his home state of Indiana to attend the event. The Indy Film Fest brings people of different walks of life together to enjoy the art of film, drawing in filmmakers and movie buffs alike. Take the executive director, Dan Moore, for example. While not a filmmaker himself, he’s passionate about the film festival and what it offers the community.
The Transformative Power of Therapy
“Sure, the idea of therapy seems magical — sit down with someone once a week and all your problems will be fixed? Amazing. But in reality, it’s a much more difficult process. Here are some things to keep in mind if you’re exploring therapy.”
50 Years and a Second Chance
For William Humbles, being a barber is more than a job. It’s his second chance — and a way to provide for his family. After being sentenced to 50 years in prison, he realized something in his life had to change. So while serving his sentence, he got his barber’s license and a bachelor’s degree. Right after being released, he bought clippers and started cutting hair. Now, he runs his own business as a barber, grateful for each day he gets to provide for his loved ones.
How Improv Brings Back the Joy of Play
For Clarissa, the improv stage is a space for opportunity and connection. It’s more than a hobby — it’s a way to reclaim the act of “playing” that consumed so much of our childhood. She shares why engaging in these unscripted moments fills an important need in her life.
What the Night Sky Holds
“I’ve loved learning about the universe since I was a little kid. Even as a child, I understood that there’s something magical about the grandeur of outer space.”
How Live Music Can Inspire Our Imagination
“The jazz performance theater at DePaul University is tucked in a corner on the second floor of the music building. On this particular balmy, Friday night in November, it’s buzzing with performances and recitals. Taking advantage of the art offered at these institutions is a tangible way to take part in something outside of the ordinary.”
This Band of Puppets Will Rock Your Socks Off
Chadwick Smith’s love for puppets started at a young age. As he got better at puppeteering, he started making his own puppets by hand — and eventually got recruited for the opportunity of a lifetime: to join a rock band. And not just any band. Fragile Rock is made up of musicians and puppeteers that bring their puppets to life with music.
The Magic of Making Music With Others
Playing music can be magical — this author discusses three particular things he loves about music and his mystical experience with it.
The Sacred Gray Area
“It is uncomfortable to sit in tension, in the gray area, in liminal space. And yet, we need the space that allows for complexity.”
Meditating on the Magic of Belonging
“Belonging is when you show up in the fullness of who you are. Belonging opens a space where your strengths and weaknesses are recognized, appreciated, and accepted.”
