The weekly “little of this, little of that” feature here at Like Mother, Like Daughter! (This will all look and work better if you click on the actual post and do not remain on the main page.)
This past week was mostly taken up with Bridget's break from school — having fun with her and her friend Maire, enjoying listening to them fiddle, enjoying the peace and quiet as they diligently studied, and getting together with friends and family.
When I think about this being her last year in college, my baby, I want to encourage all of you who are just starting out to persevere in encouraging your children to find their own path. Just forget about the world's seeming confidence that it knows the exact formula for success. Now that all my children are grown, I see that it would have been impossible for us to have predicted how interesting and flourishing they all turned out to be, each in a way quite different from the others.
Each person is unique — we hear that all the time, don't we! — and there is a lot of anxiety when you are first starting out — you can't see where it is all going and you're afraid of failing! It's tempting to think that there is a certain process that you can rely on for success. I well understand that! But pursue what you love, let them pursue what they love, and make your home the center of your family's life, along with the life of the Church. The years will unfold and reveal their delightful surprises!
The last night they were here, the girls played me my favorite tune, The Highlander's Farewell — until Maire's E-string broke! Here's a little snippet!
This month, live along with the Church as she focuses our attention on the Holy Souls.
On to our links!
- Some thoughts on how to use your space (even if you haven't recently moved!): Before You Unpack.
- Why You Hate Contemporary Architecture, is a great rant (warning, some language!), not only because it just comes out and says that things are ugly (and stunningly inappropriate — just look at the picture with the Tour Montparnasse!), but because it fails to articulate the solution, prompting, in my opinion, a deeper reflection on what beauty is, whether it is objective, and what we can do about getting it.
It's not enough to say that we need more decoration or ornament, for instance; I think we could have a rant about Rococo architecture that would have us all secretly wishing we could just find a nice concrete bunker to enjoy (I jest, I hate concrete bunkers, but all that sugary overdoneness does get to be too much!). I am not convinced by the political left/right lens as applied in the piece. Nor can we be satisfied with this: “We should ask ourselves: why is it that we can’t build another Prague or Florence? Why can’t we build like the ancient mosques in Persia or the temples in India? Well, there’s no reason why we can’t.” Yes, there is a reason why we can't — it's because Prague and Florence have at their heart and were built around churches, by believers who weren't afraid to sacrifice; it's worship that gave these places culture. For that matter, even mosques and temples satisfied something in the human soul that somehow goes starving today, now that we've removed even a dim or flawed seeking for God from our environment. It's so telling that the references in this parting plea are to sacred spaces and the cities that arose from them!
I have recommended lots of reading on this subject. There's Roger Scruton, Stratford Caldecott, and David Clayton's Way of Beauty (in which he explains how the pleasingness of, say, the Beacon Hill street mentioned in the article, comes from each element fitting not with the others except insofar as they each agree with an objective harmony — contrary to what the authors assert). In The Little Oratory, drawing on the writings of Jean Corbon and Scripture itself, we made the suggestion that when one prays with the Liturgy, beauty and transformation of the culture are the result. Anyway, as a rant, I found the article refreshing!
- Joseph Pearce on Robert Southwell, poet and martyr. Perhaps his best known poem: The Burning Babe.
- I've written a lot about the unique importance of the Liturgical Year — but really, you should just read this. Call it remote preparation for Advent!
- The Swedish Art of Death Cleaning. (For the record, my Swedish friend had never heard of this, but if Konmari-ing things isn't working — if, as another friend says, “apparently everything I own sparks joy, you can read the article and then move on to our very own Reasonably Clean House series!)
- A new site: The Liturgical Arts Journal — lots of beautiful information about the liturgy!
I guess we can all deplore what is happening out in the world, but how will it be in our families? Here are a couple of posts about that!
Today is the feast of the great St. Charles Borromeo!
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Emily says
Ooooh a new Jane article! (Well, new to me, I haven’t read it.) Excellent for this gray Saturday!
Kathryn says
We were at Concord bridge on our grand New England tour (mostly Massachusetts) this summer! Your little part of the world is beautiful, and looks just enough different from what we have here in Maryland to seem far away.
methylethyl says
Architecture: back when I lived in Boston, there were many, many lovely buildings, but I was in love with the Parlin Memorial Library in Everett. So small, but so delightful! The Shute library in Everett is also in a cool old building, and I regret that I never saw the inside of it– image searches reveal some cool arches in the interior.
Candice says
I am currently reading Johnny Tremain after having assigned it to my son for history and then realizing I should probably also read it (it’s so good! Why couldn’t I have been assigned books like this in school?!). Anyway, having never been to Boston, I found your Instagram picture facinating. Someday. Someday I will visit that part of the country.
Shamassy Monica says
I could reread those 2nd and 3rd paragraphs every morning. Thanks for the encouragement.
Helen Hawersaat says
Thank you for the using your space article! I graduated from college in May and got married in September, and am now setting up a home for the first time…. And I am lost! Haha. It was very helpful.
Claire says
Thanks for another lovely post. I especially enjoyed the advice on letting our children find what they love.
Ellie says
Very much enjoyed the (long!) rant about architecture – totally agreed – I find it so hard to see why people (architects?designers?) are afraid of beauty – I always think it’s terribly sad that it seems to be because of money and so they don’t put in a hand rail with detail or whatever, cheaper is uglier – but some things are not more expensive so I think it is about values and whether we think building something of beauty is good/necessary/valuable. It’s so important for us to live these values for us and those around us and the sake of our children too.
kellymaya says
The Jane Austin article was good. I’ve had it open and waiting to read for a few days. Glad I did today!