Articles written by Beth Smits
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Intersection of the art world and my world
Having the Art Institute of Chicago nearby was a definite bonus of growing up in Hinsdale. Thanks to a steady cadence of visits that included Oak School class trips and the... — Updated 5/19/2021
Different cats, different joys
There are two cats in my life right now. One's in Ireland and the other is in Hinsdale, and both of them have made this crazy time more bearable. Moomin is my rescue cat. Like so... — Updated 3/24/2021
'Life-changing magic' of library
When I moved my household from Washington, D.C. into storage, I got rid of about 100 books. Some were obvious choices, like the global trade textbook that was required for a class... — Updated 1/27/2021
Learning to listen one benefit of 2020
It's time to look back at the year that was and reflect on lessons learned. Of course, learning a lesson is not the same as applying it, and I am far from skilled at practicing... — Updated 12/2/2020
Thoughts on returning from the Emerald Isle
Finally - after being apart since February, I was able to see my partner Patrick in person. We spent the month of August in Ireland, after waiting through various July deadlines to... — Updated 10/7/2020
Mindfulness minus action lacks meaning
After volunteering these past few weeks at HCS Family Services with the food pantry and more recently experiencing the justified outrage about police brutality and systemic... — Updated 6/10/2020
Small steps toward big goals
I have a doctoral dissertation to write. It will come in at about 80,000 words. Knowing what a daunting target that is, my advisor suggested that I break it down, for example by aim... — Updated 4/22/2020
Creating a new habit worthwhile
Changing habits can be difficult, especially when it's a choice and not something that is forced upon you. When I first lived in Belgium more than 30 years ago, the grocery store... — Updated 3/4/2020
'Life-changing magic' of library
When I moved my household from Washington, D.C. into storage, I got rid of about 100 books. Some were obvious choices, like the global trade textbook that was required for a class... — Updated 1/15/2020
Guests make table memorable
We sold Mom’s Spode Christmas Tree china set this week on Craig’s List. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?” I asked Mom. She pointed out that we had packed up the set over a... — Updated 11/26/2019
From magical visits to real life
"You have to be patient to live here," Patrick remarked with a wry smile. We were trapped in a narrow street in the small French town where we were spending the month. There was... — Updated 10/9/2019
