Inspired by Scholastica

  Women of Courage When I watched “60 Minutes” on TV last week, I was stunned by the story of Yulia Navalnaya, wife of the Russian dissident who recently died in a Russian prison. Andrei Navalny had defied Putin and fought for the Russian presidency but was put in prison. Yulia has been described in the media as the “first lady” of the Russian opposition. After her husband’s death, she declared that she would continue his work. She has his last notes from prison that she plans to publish. Last July she became the chair of the Human Rights Foundation. Moreover, she said, “I will be the next leader of Russia.”   She said it as if there were no doubt in her mind that she would replace Vladimar Putin who now                             has unlimited power and control. She wants to build a free Russia for her children and all who are committed to ...

  Inspired by Scholastica A Joy Spreader How would you like to be remembered when you die? How about “one-of-a -kind kindness advocate”? That’s what SuEllen Fried was called when she died this week at age 92. The last thing she did was get out of her bed and go to say goodbye to her prison friends at Lansing Correctional Facility. Her whole life was spent bringing joy to people in pain. One of the most noteworthy things she did was start a program led by the Lansing inmates called Reaching Out from Within, a self-help program. She also co-founded the first Alvin Ailey summer dance camp for urban kids in Kansas City.                                                               ...

  Overcoming Fear   What did the Apostles do after Jesus was crucified? They holed themselves up in a locked room, fearful as mice hiding in a secluded corner.   When they heard that Jesus had risen, they slowly began to understand what He had said about rising on the third day.   Still fearful, they inched open the door and found the women who had discovered the empty tomb. Dumbstruck, Peter and John hastened to see if it were true.   The apostles felt shame at deserting Jesus and letting him die alone, except for Mary and John and the other faithful women.   The twelve knew they had been chosen to carry on Jesus’ mission, but they were uneducated and simple, and a little hesitant to step forward.   Maybe the women, his mother, Mary Magdalen, Mary Salome, and others showed them how to begin their work. Women seemed to know how to touch and heal, and are bold enough to spread the good ne...

  Inspired by Scholastica   Success or Failure? I’m reading an interesting novel titled Patchwork Quilt by Anne Tyler. She is one of my favorite authors because of her unusual characters. The main character, Barnaby, works for a small company called Rent a Back. It caters to elderly people who need help doing small jobs that they can no longer do. His family considers him a failure since he didn’t go to college, lives in a tiny apartment, and drives a run-down old truck. His parents are wealthy, and his brother works in his father’s trust company. Barnaby had been married and has a nine-year-old daughter that he tries to visit once a month, but his former wife is not very welcoming. The people he helps think he is kind and trustworthy. Instead of having set hours, he adjusts his work hours to his clients’ wishes. He doesn’t seem to have any friends except the people he works with. He seems happy with his life and has no desire to change. Is he a failure for his li...