Hey there,
Iām currently neck-deep in finalizing a book proposal for a manuscript Iām writing, which means Iām in deep-thinking mode. That, plus having a daughter abroad (which means longer one-off calls vs. shorter here-and-there calls with her), means a deeper dive into thoughts all together. Iāve also really ignored social media so far this year (yep, even the Notes here in Substack, which is rapidly becoming its own social media algorithm-fueled feed) āĀ which all this means the collective sum is leading to deeper contemplation for me in these early 2025 weeks.
One byproduct? Lots and lots and lots of walking. As I type this, Iāve just come in from an 8,000-step neighborhood walk as I chatted with Tate whoās in Austria. Yesterday, I took a work call while I made laps around an old cemetery thatās about half a mile from our house. Thereās something about walking that makes my brain come alive āĀ itās when I walk when I figure out my plot points, what it is Iām trying to say to my grownup kid, how to untangle my work conundrums, whatās going on with my life epiphanies in general. ā¦Thank God, literally, for the gift of walking.
If youāre feeling stuck, in the doldrums, cabin fevered, or just hankering to fidget, consider a nice long walk today. Iām a big fan.
5 Quick Things āļø
1. Yes and amen to every single one of these thirty-five steps to raising readers. Teaching little children to read can be a tedious phase of parenting (especially in homeschooling!), yes, but the reward pays off in dividends, and Iām happy to say that we have three nearly-grown kids who all love stories and can appreciate the fine craft of excellent storytelling. All thirty-five of these poitns were true in our household: āAt some point children gather by osmosisāwhether from school or pop cultureāthat books are uncool. Donāt wait for that to happen; begin funding the opposite sentiment years before its creeping parasite comes along. Make books fun, exciting, and happy.ā
2. My daughter is turning TWENTY! next week (spoiler: itāll show up as a theme in my letter to her next week), and I simply cannot believe that. I wonāt harp on that right now, but in the spirit of thinking-back-to-what-we-did-when-they-were-younger:Ā on their birthdays we still cover our kidsā bedroom doors with streamers while theyāre sleeping, which means they have to walk through them that morning in celebratory (or annoyed exhaustion) fashion. Of course, the past few years weāve been festooning their doors early that morning vs. the night before since these young adults officially go to bed later than us, but the spirit of the tradition remains. ā¦Now that Tateās away at college during her birthday, weāve done it on her half-birthday during the summer. I love this silly little tradition weāve kept! Make sure to come up with some of your own silly traditions, and donāt stop them just because they get big.
3. I havenāt finished listening to it yet, but so far Iām really enjoying this conversation between Dr. Scott Hahn and Jonathan Roumie (though ā Aaah, whereās his beard?! Put it back!).
4. Subsidiarity is one of my favorite principles stemming from Catholic Social Teaching (it was my impetus for my 100-mile radius experiment a few years ago), and while itās broader than mere economics, this is a good primer on what this concept means when it comes to our wallets and how it affects the cultures both in our homes and in our societies: āIf Christians are to be a light in a world marked by material and spiritual poverty, they must reclaim the family as the heart of society. This begins with a renewed commitment to personal financial responsibility and a reorientation toward love and virtue.ā
5. And finallyā¦ Iād love to find a new-to-us movie to watch this weekend āĀ nothing hard-hitting or dark, but not necessarily a plaid-festooned Hallmark situation either. Action is fine, so long as itās plot-heavy (think more Jason Bourne over Fast & Furious 217). Rom-com is great, too, so long as clothes stay on. Got any ideas? ā¦If you got a suggestion, leave one in the comments!
Currently Reading, Watching, Listening š»
Quotable š¬
āEverything that needs to be said has already been said. But since no one was listening, everything must be said again.ā
ā AndrĆ© Gide
Earbuds or headphones: which do you prefer? š§
Weāre a divided household over here, and Iāve come to the conclusion that even though this sort of technology is great, there really is no perfect solution. Iām Team Earbuds because 1. I sometimes listen to stuff in the shower, and 2. I sometimes listen to stuff as I fall asleep. But boy howdy are earbuds easy to lose. Ask me how I know.
(Iām curious what your āsomething elseā isā¦ Iām guessing maybe nothing?)
Earbuds: 58%
Headphones: 23%
Something else: 19%
Find next weekās poll here.
This Summerās Pilgrimage ā°ļø
Iām starting to think through some of what weāll talk about this summer as we amble down the Rhine and take in all that weāll see and doā¦ Iāll be sharing with the pilgrims some of my accumulated wisdom about creating a Benedictine Rule of Life, and what it means to live according to what matters most to us, especially in a liturgical context. Iāve really come to love and lean into this wisdom from St. Francis de Sales: āBe who you are, and be that well,ā and it animates and guides my personal process in living according to my Rule. Iām so grateful I have mine.
If youād love to unpack what it might look like to live according to your own Rule of Life, as well as, you know, learn how to make cheese and cuckoo clocks, interact with the mystical tradition of St. Hildegard von Bingen, witness the beauty of fairytale German and French villages, and more, Iād love to have you join us! Our pilgrims end up becoming kindred spirits, so if Godās calling you to this trip, do respond. You wonāt regret it, and you may make some lifelong friendships:
Quick Links š
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Question(s) For You to Ponderā¦ š¤
What are you being called to say ānoā to? What are you being called to say āyesā to?
Have a great weekend,
- Tsh
p.s. - My son wants us to install one of these in our not-quite 1,500-square-foot cottage. ā¦I tell him I donāt want to give any of my future grandchildren nightmares.
Hanging out here for the movie recommendations from other readers!
We rented The Bookshop from Prime and loved it. The movie is based on the novel by Penelope Fitzgerald. Beautiful scenery of the English countryside.