Amy Hempel introduces me to Mrs. Carlin

The other night Mosaic Woman and I were invited by a friend for dinner. We were fed well. As we were given a tour, we passed a small table on which a book had been placed. We were told it was a book about China and a few depressing facts came our way.

I said, "I try not to read depressing books."

I used to read many a book about life on this planet, but grew tired of the opening chapters which could have been entitled, "I have to convince these readers that the planet is in terrible terrible shape."

I know it is. But I am also skeptical of claims of it ending. Those claims have been around for a long long time.

So I decided to read a short story by Amy Hempel before bed that night... "At The Gates of The Animal Kingdom" in which I am introduced to a character named, Mrs. Carlin.

Mrs. Carlin is haunted by voices (from the evening news) telling disturbing stories of how humans treat pets and wild animals.

Suddenly I am 25 years old and I am walking up a hill to my house in Ware, MA. I have just heard about the Exon Valdez Oil Spill. Something inside of me is dying.


...

Eternal life in the secret garden

Folk at work look at my long hair and assume things, so I often find myself joking with them about a hidden greenhouse back in the woods. Good luck trying to find what doesn't exist.

Some folk would say the same for eternal life, and even those who believe it is possible may have only rare moments of really believing all the way down through their gut to their toes.

Over the years I have heard many a book review on NPR, and now I can say that I have read one of those books. It was several weeks ago when I heard a review of The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett. One day while my science students were in the school library, I thought of it.

It proved to be an enjoyable read. This quote which starts the 21st chapter caught my attention and I have wanted to blog about it ever since. Hope you enjoy it. Hope it makes you think of times when you were so in awe, you could...


" One of the strange things about living in the world is that it is only now and then one is quite sure one is going to live forever and ever and ever. One knows it sometimes when one gets up at the tender solemn dawn-time and goes out and stands alone and throws one's head far back and looks up and up and watches the pale sky slowly changing and flushing and marvelous unknown things happening until the East almost makes one cry out and one's heart stands still at the strange unchanging majesty of the rising of the sun--which has been happening every morning for thousands and thousands and thousands of years. One knows it then for a moment or so. And one knows it sometimes when one stands by oneself in a wood at sunset and the mysterious deep gold stillness slanting through and under the branches seems to be saying slowly again and again something one cannot quite hear, however much one tries. Then sometimes the immense quiet of the dark blue at night with millions of stars waiting and watching makes one sure; and sometimes a sound of far-off music makes it true; and sometimes a look in some one's eyes....... "


READ OR LISTEN TO THE REVIEW by Sloane Crosley

Despair and Hope

are all books based on these two things? these days, it seems like it to me.

warning-- spoiler alert

My last enjoyable reading post featured a book, which talked a bit about these concepts as it explored a Jesuit's involvement in a play about Judas Iscariot ----- the idea of hell as being in such despair that one can not accept the loving forgiveness of Jesus. Today, we turn to one of my favorite authors, Frederick Buechner.

I have read novels, memoirs, and theology by this man. Buechner believes in the power of telling one's story and the despair when stories are not allowed to be told. His childhood experience is no secret to those, who like me have read his nonfiction. Nine weeks ago today, I picked up a small novel (long story) by Buechner at the library. Renewed twice, it has to go back today, so that inspired me to read it this week.

The Wizard's Tide tells the story in a boy's voice, and as things progressed I began to wonder if this was turning into a story based on the author's life. By the end I was more certain in that belief, and a web search confirmed it, and also that it has been renamed to the Christmas Tide.

Buechner's dad fell into a great despair during the great depression and what occurred was a story not to be mentioned. The book ends a month later in a bedroom where the boy and his younger sister talk about a rare trip to a church service which had happened that night, Christmas Eve. And knowing this man's life from his words, the spark of hope carried him through till he got old enough to realize that emotional, physical, and spiritual health often comes from unlocking our secrets.

This I find to be a great truth.

outer space to off-Broadway

Jesuits do travel in my enjoyable reading. James Martin, SJ moves into the world of theater and lives to write about it in A Jesuit Off-Broadway. Just as we stumble into adventures, he falls into the theological/spiritual director for The Last Days of Judas Escariot, which was written by Stephen Adly Guirgis. This was a timely book for this Lenten season.

But what it inspired in me was a boost for my imaginative prayer. Reading about the transformation of the Bible to the theater allowed me to enter deeper into my spiritual exercises.

What touches a person when placing yourself into Bible stories is important and the book is loaded with stories of how the play touched all who were involved.

And Tuesday night when I entered into Matthew 26: 6-13, I was aware of what happened when I was introduced to a leper by Jesus. Introducing my customs, I reached out my hand, but a moment later wished I hadn't. Who do I not want to touch? Who do I not want to be touched by?

random enjoyable reading

A student follows my command and tells me two numbers and a direction. I walk over to the book shelves in the library and using his numbers and direction it takes me to a hardcover book, which I hand to the student and say, "read this for 10 minutes."

He protested when told to read Gay-neck by Dhan Gopal Mukerji. He settles down and five minutes later is telling the rest of us that it is a book about a pigeon and that he has no interest in reading further. Class ends and we put it back on the shelf, but before I do I notice that in 1927 it won a Newbery prize. To some in my anatomy class, this will be what they remember for the year. Especially since I tell them a week later that I checked the book out of the library.

I read the book as part of my effort to do enjoyable reading and in its midst I found some spiritual wisdom passed on by Buddhists to the pigeon and the owner of the pigeon. Twice the pigeon is crippled by fear-- predatory birds and later delivering messages in WWI Europe. The first healing is what moved me to continue on with the book and thus I read....

the final paragraph...

"whatever we think and feel will colour what we say and do. He who fears, even unconsciously, or has his least little dream tainted with hate, will inevitably, sooner, or later translate these two qualities into his action. Therefore, my brothers, live courage, breathe courage and give courage. Think and feel love so that you will be able to pour out of yourself peace and serenity as naturally as a flower gives forth fragrance. Peace be onto all!"


as naturally as a flower.....