Wendy Díaz

As a mother of three teenagers, I continue to learn about child development in real time, and surprisingly, just as much about myself. I observe their behavior patterns and often find myself reflecting on my own teenage years.

One afternoon during our after-school pickup runs, one of my children asked, “Are ghosts real?” It was Spooky Season – the days leading up to Halloween – and neighborhoods were decked out with ghosts and goblins, pumpkins and witches, and creepy, crawling spiders, webs, and skeletons.

One of the first lessons children learn about the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is that he was nicknamed “Al-Amin,” the truthful and trustworthy one, even from a young age.

When considering what they want to leave behind for their children, many parents focus on tangible goals such as generational wealth, passive income, a paid-off home, a thriving business, or a monetary inheritance.

Every October, as debates swirl around the legacy of Christopher Columbus, the focus often centers on his brutality toward Indigenous peoples and the colonial violence he unleashed.

When someone we love is diagnosed with cancer, the world can suddenly feel uncertain and overwhelming. For many, the diagnosis is a profoundly emotional and spiritual voyage that can test the strength of relationships and the limits of the human spirit.