Her Love is Innocent
While grief may not be a gift by nature, I would consider it a lesson for life. I did not understand how other people seemed to recover after a death. I saw grief as the most difficult mountain someone could ever face. An impossible climb up a mountain with no clear path to the summit, where the air grows thinner with each step and the weight of loss makes every movement feel like walking through quicksand. Until I lost my aunt, I wasn’t familiar with grief. What happened to
Djemima Duvernat
Dec 12, 20253 min read
Growing Out Of Christmas
The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy. Yet according to the American Psychological Association , nearly nine in 10 U.S. adults describe some level of stress this time of year. 43% say that the stress of the holidays interferes with their ability to enjoy them. Whether it's anticipation of family conflict or financial concerns, there is enough evidence to suggest that the holidays are often overwhelming. As a kid, I loved Christmas. On Christmas Eve, I would track Sant
Azam Hostetler
Dec 12, 20254 min read
The Failure of Inaction
Photo Credit: Zach Cregger. 2025. Weapons [Film]. Warner Bros. Pictures. Warning: there will be spoilers regarding the movie “Weapons” 17 elementary school children went missing from their homes at 2:17 a.m. All from the same first-grade class, gone, except for one. “Weapons” stirred confusion amongst many critics and viewers regarding what this movie represented. From the use of witchcraft to a scene of a giant CGI AK-47 floating in the sky. What was the message? After vie
Abigail Riggins
Dec 12, 20255 min read
When Buildings Looked Pretty
This is a picture of a bank built in 1866 in Danbury, Conn. Compare that to a modern bank, say, your local M&T or Wells Fargo. Perhaps those modern buildings are more practical and efficient, but I cannot stroll past a brick building like this Danbury bank and not appreciate its charm with its rows of lined brick with a golden clock and adorned arches above the windows. Someone might bring up the obvious point that buildings like this cost more to create in materials and de
Azam Hostetler
Dec 12, 20255 min read
Signing Off
I never thought of myself as a good writer. I grew up in an artistic family, so people assumed I was naturally creative, naturally talented and naturally capable of anything in that world. My house was full of love, but it was also full of expectations. Expectations that always, somehow, pointed to me. My mother reached the highest academic and professional positions. The message was clear. I was supposed to honor the efforts of everyone before me by going even further. And b
Elisa Broche
Dec 12, 20254 min read
