Trips to the grocery store, once a beloved ritual for me, have become minefields. I fight the panic as — armed with my trusty mask and gloves— I dutifully follow the one-way arrows and social distancing mandated at the local Whole Foods or Valle, only to be met head-on by people who either can’t read […]
About 55 minutes into Frank Capra’s iconic film, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” a financial panic causes townspeople to start a “run” on the Bailey Bros. Building and Loan. George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) faces the angry crowd and explains, “You’re thinking of this place in the wrong way, as if I have the money back in […]
Our Mother’s Day has followed a pattern for many years, and it basically boils down to “Mama ain’t lifting a finger today, so figure it out.” Happily, that has always meant family time together over brunch or dinner, plus the Evanston History Center’s Annual Mother’s Day House Walk, a fabulous North Shore tradition. But times have […]
Water. A basic element of life that is so often taken for granted. The running of a faucet, the quenching of thirst, the luxury of washing hands or taking a warm shower — a vital resource that some of the most vulnerable people around the world lack. Today, as safe water has proven to be […]
Our entire world has been impacted by COVID-19. And with so much uncertainty and tragedy, it is difficult to know how to help or even where to get involved. For those in the Chicago community, some of the city’s most beloved businesses are stepping in to help — and are hoping that you join them […]
We’ve all been touched by COVID-19 in different ways. Since the start of the pandemic, simple tasks such as grocery shopping and pumping gas have become both stressful and potentially dangerous. Patrons who were once free to roam and work are now confined to the walls of their homes, working remotely and catching up on […]
Every day, it seems like there’s enough bad news to last us a month — at least. Between small businesses shuttering, exhausted healthcare providers on the frontlines, and hourly workers panicking over lost wages, the world feels pretty scary right about now. On top of that, everyone needs so much help it’s hard to know […]
What I find most interesting about the current pandemic is its ability to convey how our actions ripple even to those we may never meet. Models and graphics presented in the media effectively illustrate this ripple effect as one person’s actions and interactions move like a wave through society. This is particularly compelling as we approach April […]
In the scramble to determine what constitutes an “essential” service in the midst of an unprecedented modern-day pandemic, the one area where everyone on the planet seems to agree is food. Despite universal acknowledgement that the public’s access to food must continue, keeping ourselves fed is presenting new challenges at a time when many restaurants, […]
On Palm Sunday, Christians commenced Holy Week, which culminates on Easter Sunday. Jews are currently celebrating Passover, which began at sundown on Wednesday evening. The reality of celebrating Holy Week from our homes instead of our respective congregations may seem glum, but our current crisis makes the true meaning of these holy days all the […]
