D. M. Dooling (1910 - 1991) was the founder and editorial director of Parabola magazine. She started the adventuresome publication when she was 65 years old. This thought-provoking collection of essays consists of pieces she wrote as a point of entry for various themed issues. Although D. M. Dooling was grounded in the Christian faith, she was a true catholic — open to the insights and epiphanies of all spiritual traditions and teachers.

The author's search for meaning was insatiable. The essays on ritual, rites of passage, ceremonies, and pilgrimage are especially good indicators of this quest. The lure is a deeper understanding of God, self, and the complicated world. D. M. Dooling never plunges into dogmatism but glides freely in and out of these religious themes.

In one of the best essays she focuses on obstacles: "Opposition and challenge from the outside evidently stimulate us to do battle, exercise and train us, develop our muscles, and our patience . . . They help rather than hinder." This is typical of Dooling's sophisticated vision that encourages us to reframe our traditional ideas. On any quest, obstacles can become spiritual teachers, opening us up to new possibilities.