Contemplation
The City of Light
Paris has inspired countless paintings, stories, and dreams. Lupin invites viewers to walk through this Paris.
Analog Memories
Watching The Booksellers leads to a reflection on the printed word, discovery, and friendship.
A Dispatch from the Study
Quiet solitude is the natural environment for most writers. However, the grinding isolation and stress of the ongoing pandemic tests everyone’s psychological mettle. Then came the Capitol insurrection last month. The future remains, at best, unsettled. Most days, frightening. Still, we can find solace, relief, and daresay meaning in our day-to-day routines and pursuits. Here…
Readying for Winter
With the arrival of a difficult winter, simple comforts and pastimes might provide much-needed support.
A Trip to the Green Market
A rainy morning trip to the Union Square Green Market instills surprise and solace. Such everyday experiences seem faraway and extraordinary during the pandemic.
Moonlight and Sand
Watching the moon rise above the beach in Ocean Grove, New Jersey provides solace amid the ongoing pandemic.
Walking: A Re-Discovered Joy
Last week, I walked to the Village neighborhood in downtown Jersey City for the first time since the pandemic began in March. Although this slice of the city is only a twenty- or thirty-minute stroll from my home, I felt as if I was embarking upon a great quest or journey. During the past five…
Picks from the Hermitage
Like many Americans, my daily life has centered around my home since the pandemic began this past spring. I miss seeing friends and family and sharing traditions and moments with them. The pandemic has slowed life down for many of us, and that might be a welcome change. Rarely venturing beyond my own neighborhood provides…
Founding Fathers: A July 4th Reflection
COVID-19 continues to rage across wide swathes of America. Necessary social distancing prevents traditional picnics and cookouts. Meanwhile, a national wave of protests spurred by the killing of George Floyd has initiated a discussion of our history, specifically our country’s legacy of racism and slavery. This Independence Day will be very different.
