Scott Stantis looks at 2024 through the Magic 8 ball.

My abusive father was one of my accidental spiritual teachers. He offered me a lesson in the formidable challenge of understanding and forgiveness.

A massive tree planting around Athletic Field Park in Chicago reinforced to me that we make a difference by showing up.

The best part of traveling, wherever we may go, is connecting with people and place. Even if you're jet-lagged, it pays to persist.

A Zoom group to discuss music and a library-sponsored group to discuss graphic novels have nourished me in countless ways.

Severe thunderstorms. Tornado touchdowns. Sweltering heat. The feverish weather this past week reminded us that the Chicago area is still in the thick of the dog days of summer.

Roller derby as we know it today got its start at the Chicago Coliseum with a cross-country event in 1935. Over subsequent decades, the sport brought thrills, spills and chills to audiences. Today, a feminist take on roller derby has allowed it to thrive once again.

My parents didn't die from COVID-19, but they struggled for breath in their final days. So I feel rage when I hear people distance themselves from the suffering caused by COVID-19 by saying it's mainly the elderly who are dying. Read the reporting. The dying is awful.

The holidays, with all their warmth, sparkle, feasting and fellowship, nourish us each year. But this year is different. This year is hard. Let's remember the joys that will return with this look back in images.