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.)
Thinking about how to remember the process for finishing the hem I had blithely committed to on this little sweater I was making but could not find a tutorial for, I wished for a video of my own. I know myself well — I would go through the entire learning curve every time, without some sort of visual reminder.
Behold, my five-year-old granddaughter made it happen! She did a great job, I think! Does it make any sense to you at all? Ah well, at least my own memory will be jogged! If you want to see, here's 41 seconds of the method:
I recently saw a tribute to a lovely lady given by her grown children. They posted her photo with the caption that said something like, “Dear Mother, you gave up a career [can't remember if they specified] and success to devote yourself to us; we love you.”
I was very moved by this, and looking at her beautiful face, I thought to myself, I wonder if she sees it that way — that she gave up something, that it was a sacrifice.
I do think that a young woman might think of it that way.
Of course, every choice involves, in a sense, rejecting and sacrificing every other choice — always provided that the other choices are real, of course. It at least means rejecting some goods. For instance, as Chesterton points out, when we marry one person, we are by definition rejecting all the others — assuming that they would have us!
But in any case, if this lady is anything like me and my friends who have traveled this route to the other side, I can imagine her chuckling gently to herself as she wipes away a grateful tear (for every mother's only desire is to be appreciated by her children) and quietly remarking, “But it's what I wanted to do, and it turned out better than I ever imagined. What on earth would I have wanted with anything else! And besides [she might have thought, considering her long marriage and her happy home, even in the midst of suffering] there was much, much more to it — even than you, my dears!”
This is what I imagine her thinking. I know that's a wild thought, but there it is.
On to our links!
- There is an exhibition of Pieter Bruegel's works at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. I would love to see it and almost certainly will not (barring a miracle), but reading about it makes me happy. About a series made for Bruegel's friend's dining room, the author of the article says: “Their precise purpose and meaning, like much of Bruegel’s work, remains enigmatic but it seems likely that they were intended to spark discussion at a ‘convivium' — a gathering of intellectuals. Among the topics disputed might have been what lessons can be taken from the great cycle of life on display and perhaps whether the simple country life was preferable to that of Jongelink and his guests.” The book that goes along with the exhibition, while obviously a distant substitute, is available as well for pre-order.
- The princess issue is becoming dire. This Wall Street Journal article (well worth asking a subscriber to share with you) reveals the lack of respect for the collective memory held by purveyors of entertainment for children. They are willing to jettison universal archetypes and typology for their own political ends, and they have total devotion to ideals that have not been tested — or being tested, have been found wanting; yet they themselves hardly model virtue. It troubles me that many families leave their children's imaginations wholly to Disney for formation, especially as political correctness becomes more entrenched. As we enter the season of gifts, all I can say here is, beware.
- Queering Science: Mark Regnerus, someone whose reputation and career were savaged by the activist mob, examines the case of Brown University public health professor Lisa Littman's study documenting the reality of a type of experience: the rapid onset of gender dysphoria (ROGD) in adolescents. I do not quite agree with him that this sort of suppression hasn't occurred before, albeit not with the mob intensity we see now; but certainly studies about the effects of divorce on children — even adults — are suppressed in favor of sparing the feelings of the couples. Still, his observations about the sudden demise of the scientific method stand.
- As you know from our little disclaimer, below, we don't usually recommend a whole site, but here's one; this page in particular might be helpful to be more informed on sexual issues.
- What is chant? Why do I go on and on about it? A good article from Peter Kwasniewski on the subject, with some recordings. The main thing to know about chant is that it has a sacred quality that no other form of music has, in part because of its unique sense of breathing and of freeing, in an austere way, the breath, in transcendent vocal expression.
- There's also this:
- It's well worth the 12 minutes it takes to listen to this podcast about how students are indoctrinated into PC thinking the minute they get to college, before classes even start. Emanating from a centralized program that works with publishers' profit motive, The First-Year Experience is an entire packaged event used by over 90% of schools today in the US and expanding to foreign markets. If you are considering sending your kid to most any college, you need to have this information.
- The Cathedral of the Plains — read this article to understand why it is we can't have nice things (churches, that is) — we have no idea of sacrifice. “If the church [funded and built by simple farmers living at subsistence levels] had to be replaced today,” said Father Hammel, who was assistant pastor of the church from 1923 to 1925, “it would cost two-and-a-half billion dollars.”
- The theme of orphan literature needs a lot of exploration. Fr. Dwight Longenecker looks at The Path of the Orphan Hero.
- If you will be nearby, come to this talk! I'd love to meet you!
From the archives:
- How to prepare for Thanksgiving, Auntie Leila style.
- Five things that are worse than being in debt.
- Ask Auntie Leila: 10 Reasons Not to Have Separate Finances; or, Marriage is about Wholehearted Trust.
Happy feast of St. Elizabeth of Hungary!
We’d like to be clear that, when we direct you to a site via one of our links, we’re not necessarily endorsing the whole site, but rather just referring you to the individual post in question (unless we state otherwise).
Kate says
My eldest performed in a violin concert recently and I was given many compliments afterwards on his talent. One man asked me what I did because I must have a great talent to produce such a talented son. I could offer nothing, Ordinary me is just the one who tries to make things run smoothly so that all the people I have brought into this world can do their extraordinary things. I hope my kids will all see it that way some day. My ordinary life has been well worth it.
Leila says
Beautiful, Kate!
Candice says
I saw a video by the same guy about the first time he and his family went to the Traditional Latin Mass. We had just gone ourselves for the first time with our kids and had the same experience. And the number of families!! The whole church was filled with families. For comparison, at our normal parish, our family is one of the only families. The rest of the parish are retired people. And so it was an amazing study in opposites. I wish the FSSP parish was closer, (it’s 20 miles away) and our closest parish (2 blocks away, not the one we attend) is pretty much the epitome of the guitar Life Teen Mass (actually it’s where Life Teen was started). But we have decided to make the drive and attend the TLM as often as possible.
Joy in Alabama says
Leila, I just love you! And I so appreciate all you do to teach younger women (and me, who is on the downslide of 59!) and I love how real you are! Thank you!
Leila says
Thank you, Joy!
Cristina Reintjes says
Is there a link to the Cathedral of the Plsins article?
Leila says
Fixed it, Cristina — refresh your page and it will be there.
Sarah says
Hi Aunt Leila,
I love your wild thought! I second it! Thank you for putting it into words on the blog for us to read. I am getting glimpses of this in my life with oldest of 8 turning 17 shortly. I too treasure this life of wife and homemaker I have chosen with all of its hardships. There is so much more happening than meets the eye.
Sarah
meditationsandmiscellany999229906 says
A book title that came to mind after seeing that you referenced the podcast about the “First Year Experience” (and all the PC stuff @ colleges) is: Disorientation: The 13 ‘isms’ that Will Send You to Intellectual La-La Land: How to Go to College Without Losing Your Mind by John Zmirak. Very good read (I gave it to my college-bound nephew and godson upon his high school graduation) to equip kids going off to college about some of the ‘isms’ they’ll encounter there. I need to buy another copy for my kids to read…
I’m eager to read the Disney princess article – hopefully I can find it somewhere. With 5 girls, we have lots of princess fans here, but the last few Disney princess films have left a bad taste in my mouth…
God bless you for all you do, sharing these bits and pieces.
Melisa
Caitlin says
I’m interested in the princess article too! Please share if you find a way to read it.
meditationsandmiscellany999229906 says
Hello,
I typed,” Beauty and the Backlash: Disney’s Modern Princess Problem” by Erich Schwartzel in my search engine, and on the top of the page a publication based in Los Angeles called the “Morningstar” had the same article. The article seemed to end abruptly, though, so I’m not sure I got the whole thing. Hope that’s helpful.
Elizabeth says
I haven’t been able to find the entire article yet, unfortunately! I have shielded my kids from Disney so far (just because of instinct really) and I’d love to read this article. I watched a lot of disney as a child and enjoyed it, but I feel the newer stories are different.
liviepearl says
Check your library. I can access the Wall Street Journal, NY Times, and some other papers online via my library site if I sign in on my library card account.
A.T. says
Thank you for fixing the link to the article about St. Fidelis! My husband and I visited two years ago on a cross-country road trip – it is an inspiring sight across the plains. It really is an impressive achievement, given how big Victoria, KS was and still is. I believe that Archbishop McCarrick is now living there (http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/archbishop-mccarrick-to-lead-life-of-prayer-penance-at-kansas-friary) – I hope that the beauty and history of St. Fidelis, and the devotion of the community, inspire him in his life of penance.