I went to Lake Bonny Park today.
There are trees all around. Some tall,
others short, while still others are mere
stumps. The woods remind me of the
forest scene from The Scarlet Letter. Now
I'm at the lake. A crane lifts off, flies
over the water, and disappears. It's so peaceful
here. Even with the sound of cars and voices
of children from a nearby playground, it
somehow feels like I'm the only person in
the world. This is a nice place to come when
you want to walk and think without interruptions.
I'm on the walking path now, let's see
where it leads me. The winding pathway
led me to a footbridge from here I can see
across the lake. There are houses on the other
side. From this solitary world they seem
so far away. I wonder, who lives
in these houses and what kind of people they are?
I'm heading back to the car now, but this has been nice. I hope
to do this again.
That wasn't actually a poem. It was just some of my musings about the scenery while I was at the park.
This was a very enjoyable experience. It was great to spend some time in the solitude and quiet of nature.
When I first got to the park I walked along the path for a few minutes, then went down into the woods where
I stood looking at the sky, trees, and lake. Like I said in my so-called poem, the woods reminded me of the forest scene in The Scarlet Letter, especially the way the sun played off of the trees and ground. I didn't try
to think or write deep thoughts about my surroundings. I just let them come and wrote them down as they came to me, kind of like what I'm doing right now. This assignment was beneficial because it helped me remember that it's important to occasionally go off by yourself to dwell in and embrace the silence the world can offer you. And you don't have to go to a place like Lake Bonny Park in order to accomplish this. Bush Chapel is a great place to go to if you feel the need to be alone to pray, to read, or to just revel in the quiet.
In her poem Messenger Mary Oliver stated that her work was "standing still and learning to be astonished."
While I wasn't able to stand still for longer than a few seconds, I certainly was astonished. The sky was so big and wide, filled with white fluffy clouds. The sun sparkled off the water. Everything was so green. I wish
I could have stayed longer but I knew I couldn't hold up my ride and, anyway, I had to get back so I could study. But this assignment was definitely worth forty minutes.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Poems of Mary Oliver
"My work is loving the world."
from Messenger by Mary Oliver
I adore that quote from Mary Oliver, a nature poet who beautifully uses words to express what she learns from God's creation. The above quote is representative of Oliver's feelings about the world around her:
She knows that as a human being she is meant to love the beauty of the Earth. She is the"messenger" sent
to tell the world of the "quickening yeast" "blue plums" and "speckled sand" that she admires so the that others can come to admire them also.
"Meanwhile I stand in the same dark peace as any pine tree, or wander on slowly like the still unhurried wind, waiting as for a gift."
from Walking Home from Oak-Head by Mary Oliver
During a previous class period Professor Corrigan asked us if we ever took the time to walk aimlessly around campus, just observing and taking in all that surrounds us. The general consensus of the class
was that no, we don't do that as often as we should. In our busy world we spend alot of time rushing from
one place to the next, always at the mercy of our full schedules and the next big important thing we need to take care of. I think everyone should set aside one day of the month during which they take on the characteristic of the "unhurried wind" and spend a few hours seeing and enjoying the wonders of creation.
"Then I enter the place of not-thinking, not-remebering, not-wanting."
from Six Recognitions of the Lord by Mary Oliver
Oliver, like many of us, desires to escape the chaotic world of everyday life and enter into a state of being where she can meet God unhindered. In doing so, Oliver not only shuts out the world but also shuts out her thoughts and feelings, her fears and expectations, so God can speak to the deepest part of soul.
from Messenger by Mary Oliver
I adore that quote from Mary Oliver, a nature poet who beautifully uses words to express what she learns from God's creation. The above quote is representative of Oliver's feelings about the world around her:
She knows that as a human being she is meant to love the beauty of the Earth. She is the"messenger" sent
to tell the world of the "quickening yeast" "blue plums" and "speckled sand" that she admires so the that others can come to admire them also.
"Meanwhile I stand in the same dark peace as any pine tree, or wander on slowly like the still unhurried wind, waiting as for a gift."
from Walking Home from Oak-Head by Mary Oliver
During a previous class period Professor Corrigan asked us if we ever took the time to walk aimlessly around campus, just observing and taking in all that surrounds us. The general consensus of the class
was that no, we don't do that as often as we should. In our busy world we spend alot of time rushing from
one place to the next, always at the mercy of our full schedules and the next big important thing we need to take care of. I think everyone should set aside one day of the month during which they take on the characteristic of the "unhurried wind" and spend a few hours seeing and enjoying the wonders of creation.
"Then I enter the place of not-thinking, not-remebering, not-wanting."
from Six Recognitions of the Lord by Mary Oliver
Oliver, like many of us, desires to escape the chaotic world of everyday life and enter into a state of being where she can meet God unhindered. In doing so, Oliver not only shuts out the world but also shuts out her thoughts and feelings, her fears and expectations, so God can speak to the deepest part of soul.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
State of the Planet
In his poem, State of the Planet, Robert Hass frequently referenced Lucretius, a Roman poet and philospher who wrote a poem called On the Nature of the Universe. In this poem Lucretius attempted
to debunk what he called "supersition"; that is, the belief that the gods created the world and the universe
and interfered with it in anyway. Lucretius argued against such an idea by presenting evidence that the
existence of the universe and its operations could be completely explained by natural phonomena-"the regular but purposeless motions and interactions of tiny atoms in empty space"-and not by the will of the gods.
Hass seems to believe the things Lucretius presented in his poem. "The book will try to give the child the
wonder of how, in our time, we understand life came to be: Stuff flung off from the sun, the molten core
still pouring sometimes rivers of black basalt across the earth from the old fountains of its origin. A hundred
million years of clouds, sulfurous rain. The long cooling. There is no silence in the world like the silence of rock before life was." The above quote and other things Hass said clearly showed that he was an evolutionist.
This poem was written on the fifieth anniversary of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, a research unit
at Colombia University. One of the things the observatory does is study the natural world in order to discover how to best steward the planet and effeciently use our natural resources. State of the Planet describes several scenes in which the world is being affected by man's often careless use of the earth's
resources. "[The book] will also tell her that the air-it's likely to say "the troposphere-" has trapped emissions
from millions of cars..and is making a greenhouse of the atmosphere..Topsoil: going fast. Rivers: dammed
and fouled...Pacific salmon nosing against dams from Yokoham to Kamchatka to Seattle and Portland, flailing up fish ladders, against turbines..Most of the ancient groves are gone." Hass wrote this poem out
of concern for Earth's well-being, hoping people would take notice and make efforts to change how they
use the resources that are available to us.
to debunk what he called "supersition"; that is, the belief that the gods created the world and the universe
and interfered with it in anyway. Lucretius argued against such an idea by presenting evidence that the
existence of the universe and its operations could be completely explained by natural phonomena-"the regular but purposeless motions and interactions of tiny atoms in empty space"-and not by the will of the gods.
Hass seems to believe the things Lucretius presented in his poem. "The book will try to give the child the
wonder of how, in our time, we understand life came to be: Stuff flung off from the sun, the molten core
still pouring sometimes rivers of black basalt across the earth from the old fountains of its origin. A hundred
million years of clouds, sulfurous rain. The long cooling. There is no silence in the world like the silence of rock before life was." The above quote and other things Hass said clearly showed that he was an evolutionist.
This poem was written on the fifieth anniversary of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, a research unit
at Colombia University. One of the things the observatory does is study the natural world in order to discover how to best steward the planet and effeciently use our natural resources. State of the Planet describes several scenes in which the world is being affected by man's often careless use of the earth's
resources. "[The book] will also tell her that the air-it's likely to say "the troposphere-" has trapped emissions
from millions of cars..and is making a greenhouse of the atmosphere..Topsoil: going fast. Rivers: dammed
and fouled...Pacific salmon nosing against dams from Yokoham to Kamchatka to Seattle and Portland, flailing up fish ladders, against turbines..Most of the ancient groves are gone." Hass wrote this poem out
of concern for Earth's well-being, hoping people would take notice and make efforts to change how they
use the resources that are available to us.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
This Blessed House
"[Sanjeev] studied the items on the mantel. It puzzled him that each was in its own way so silly. Clearly they lacked a sense of sacredness (1066)." This quote comes from This Blessed House, the short story from last week. The items Sanjeev is studying are Christian objects that he and his wife, Twinkle had found all over the house over the past week and which Twinkle insisted upon collecting and displaying on the mantel. Sanjeev's description of the objects as "silly" struck me as interesting because oftentimes many unbelievers view Christianity as being foolish and illogical. After all why would Jesus die to save the world which had treated Him with disdain? Why would He sacrifice Himself for the sake of those whom He knew would blasepheme His name?
Something else I find rather interesting is the great personality gap between Sanjeev and Twinkle. Whereas, Sanjeev is mature and reserved, Twinkle is child-like and lively. During the housewarming party,
Twinkle is talking to the guests, showing them the house, and retelling the story of how they discovered Twinkle's zoo of Christian icons. Meanwhile, Sanjeev stayed busy with replenishing the samosas, getting ice for the guests' drinks, and opening champagne bottles. Sanjeev goes out to work while Twinkle works from home and one day claims to be bored, but Sanjeev mentally notes that she could unpack boxes, sweep the attic, or retouch the paint on the bathroom windowsill.
I believe that Sanjeev might be a little jealous of Twinkle. On page 1068 he notes, "[Twinkle] was like that, excited and delighted by little things...It was a quality he did not understand. It made him feel stupid, as if the world contained hidden wonders he could not anticipate, or see." Sanjeev sees this lively young woman who takes much satisfaction from life's small joys be it a porcelain figure of Jesus or the hat belonging to one of the
party attendees. Then Sanjeev sees himself, an intelligent and resourceful man, but seemingly lacking in imagination and the ability to experience life to the fullest. Even though Sanjeev is oftentimes irritated by his wife's behavior, he could also be wishing he had her zest for the world and all it contains.
Something else I find rather interesting is the great personality gap between Sanjeev and Twinkle. Whereas, Sanjeev is mature and reserved, Twinkle is child-like and lively. During the housewarming party,
Twinkle is talking to the guests, showing them the house, and retelling the story of how they discovered Twinkle's zoo of Christian icons. Meanwhile, Sanjeev stayed busy with replenishing the samosas, getting ice for the guests' drinks, and opening champagne bottles. Sanjeev goes out to work while Twinkle works from home and one day claims to be bored, but Sanjeev mentally notes that she could unpack boxes, sweep the attic, or retouch the paint on the bathroom windowsill.
I believe that Sanjeev might be a little jealous of Twinkle. On page 1068 he notes, "[Twinkle] was like that, excited and delighted by little things...It was a quality he did not understand. It made him feel stupid, as if the world contained hidden wonders he could not anticipate, or see." Sanjeev sees this lively young woman who takes much satisfaction from life's small joys be it a porcelain figure of Jesus or the hat belonging to one of the
party attendees. Then Sanjeev sees himself, an intelligent and resourceful man, but seemingly lacking in imagination and the ability to experience life to the fullest. Even though Sanjeev is oftentimes irritated by his wife's behavior, he could also be wishing he had her zest for the world and all it contains.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Victoria Simons
Victoria Simons is a fourteen year old girl with a 5"6' frame, shoulder length black hair, and
glasses. She enjoys reading fiction novels of all kinds and works regular hours at a local
bookstore/coffeeshop. She's also a teacher's aid for a third grade World History class.
One Saturday morning Victoria woke up, showered, dressed, and walked to her friend Julie's
house.Upon her arrival Victoria said," Just let me use your bathroom real quick, then we can go to your room, maybe watch a movie." As Victoria made her way to the nearest bathroom, Julie went to her father's study to speak with him. "Was that Victoria I heard?," Julie's father, Gavin asked, hearing his daughter come in. "Yeah," Julie replied, "she just got here."
"Tell Victoria I admire the way she handled that situation with Chloe a couple weeks ago," Gavin said.
Furrowing her brow, Julie asked, "What do you mean?" Surprised Gavin said, "You mean she didn't tell you?
Victoria's dad told me Chloe had been spreading all sorts of nasty gossip about Victoria around school for
the last three months or so. Knowing that those who really knew her would never believe such trash, Victoria
never responded to Chloe. But, man, she's certainly had a hard time with it, seeing how kids yelled the
cruelest things at her in the school hallways and even vandalized her locker." Julie said, "I heard that Chloe and some other jerks had been saying things about her, but never knew anything more than that. What happened between Victoria and Chloe two weeks ago?"
"Well," her father replied, "it happened the afternoon I took you out of school for your dentist appointment.
Victoria and some of her other friends were walking back from PE class, when Chloe came up and said
something horrible to her. The girls with Victoria immediately went to her defense. Things heated up quickly and they looked ready to tear Chloe apart. Victoria stepped in and tried to convince them to ignore Chloe and walk away, saying that getting into a fight with her would just make her determined to talk more trash. Eventually, Victoria was able to lead her friends away, but Chloe was screaming and cursing at them as they went. Fortunately, a teacher who had spoken with Victoria a number of times about her problems with Chloe
overheard the whole thing. As soon as the other girls left, the teacher hauled Chloe to the principal's office. Since this wasn't the first time Chloe had been caught cursing or saying other that she shouldn't, she was suspended. Victoria's father told me Chloe's parents won't allow her back in school until she undergoes serious counseling."
"Poor Victoria," Julie said, with a sigh. "I can't imagine what she's been going through the past couple months.
If that had been me I would have strangled Chloe. But I'm proud of her for handling the situation as gracefully as she did. Victoria never once said anything mean about Chloe or talked about getting revenge. When one
of our friends asked Victoria how she was dealing with the situation not too long after the gossip started, she answered honestly. Victoria admitted that she often had awful thoughts about Chloe and wished she could hurt Chloe as much as she was hurting her. Whenever those thoughts came Victoria pushed to them to the back of her mind until later. Then when she had a quiet moment she wrote down all the bad thoughts and gave the situation to God, asking him to change her heart toward Chloe, see her the way Jesus did, and heal whatever pain was causing Chloe to hurt others. Nodding, Gavin said, "Like I said, I really admire Victoria for the way she handled this." At that moment, Victoria emerged from the bathroom and called to Julie. The girls got some food from the kitchen, settled down in Julie's room, and watched The Lion King.
Late that afternoon, Julie walked Victoria home. "Hey, Victoria," Julie asked, "why didn't you tell me about that incident between you and Chloe?" Victoria stiffened but didn't answer. Figuring she didn't want to discuss anything connected with that painful time in her life, Julie didn't repeat the question. Several minutes later, Victoria suddenly said, "I found Chloe later that day in the school parking lot. She was crying." Stunned
at this news, Julie waited to see if Victoria would divulge more information. After awhile, Victoria began to talk, "Even though I had been praying that God would somehow enable me to love Chloe despite everything she's said about me, angry thoughts about her kept invading my mind and I soon realized that my angry at her was coming out in other areas of my life. The day befor that incident with her I screamed at my sister for no reason. And on another day before that I sassed my mom when she asked me to do the dishes. By the time that incident with Chloe happened I was literally ready to break her in two, and almost thought about not intervening when the girls I was with looked ready to do it for me.
But then I realized they would get in trouble so I stepped up and convinced them to leave. As soon as school ended I hid in the bathroom where I railed at Chloe for what she was doing to me and at God for allowing her to do it. Finally I went out to the parking lot and that's when I saw Chloe. She was sitting on a bench crying. I was tempted to just walk away but I felt God urging me to go speak with her and, reluctantly, I did.
At first, Chloe was really mean and several times I almost left, but I just felt God telling me that I needed to stay. Eventually, Chloe started telling me about herself and her life. I won't go into details, but she's had it rough for a very long time. As I listened to her, I began feeling an overwhelming compassion for her that I had never experienced before, not even while I was begging God to create a love in my heart for Chloe.
We cried together. Chloe apologized for the rumors she had spread about me and, believe or not, I felt so much love for her by this point I had no problem forgiving her. We decided to put the past behind us and become friends. We traded cell phone numbers and we've been keeping touch ever since. Astounded, Julie said, "Victoria, that's wonderful. I can't believe you had the strength to face her like that after all she's done to you, and now you're friends. But best of all God answered your prayer. He gave you the ability to love Chloe."
"Yes," Victoria said, "He certainly did."
glasses. She enjoys reading fiction novels of all kinds and works regular hours at a local
bookstore/coffeeshop. She's also a teacher's aid for a third grade World History class.
One Saturday morning Victoria woke up, showered, dressed, and walked to her friend Julie's
house.Upon her arrival Victoria said," Just let me use your bathroom real quick, then we can go to your room, maybe watch a movie." As Victoria made her way to the nearest bathroom, Julie went to her father's study to speak with him. "Was that Victoria I heard?," Julie's father, Gavin asked, hearing his daughter come in. "Yeah," Julie replied, "she just got here."
"Tell Victoria I admire the way she handled that situation with Chloe a couple weeks ago," Gavin said.
Furrowing her brow, Julie asked, "What do you mean?" Surprised Gavin said, "You mean she didn't tell you?
Victoria's dad told me Chloe had been spreading all sorts of nasty gossip about Victoria around school for
the last three months or so. Knowing that those who really knew her would never believe such trash, Victoria
never responded to Chloe. But, man, she's certainly had a hard time with it, seeing how kids yelled the
cruelest things at her in the school hallways and even vandalized her locker." Julie said, "I heard that Chloe and some other jerks had been saying things about her, but never knew anything more than that. What happened between Victoria and Chloe two weeks ago?"
"Well," her father replied, "it happened the afternoon I took you out of school for your dentist appointment.
Victoria and some of her other friends were walking back from PE class, when Chloe came up and said
something horrible to her. The girls with Victoria immediately went to her defense. Things heated up quickly and they looked ready to tear Chloe apart. Victoria stepped in and tried to convince them to ignore Chloe and walk away, saying that getting into a fight with her would just make her determined to talk more trash. Eventually, Victoria was able to lead her friends away, but Chloe was screaming and cursing at them as they went. Fortunately, a teacher who had spoken with Victoria a number of times about her problems with Chloe
overheard the whole thing. As soon as the other girls left, the teacher hauled Chloe to the principal's office. Since this wasn't the first time Chloe had been caught cursing or saying other that she shouldn't, she was suspended. Victoria's father told me Chloe's parents won't allow her back in school until she undergoes serious counseling."
"Poor Victoria," Julie said, with a sigh. "I can't imagine what she's been going through the past couple months.
If that had been me I would have strangled Chloe. But I'm proud of her for handling the situation as gracefully as she did. Victoria never once said anything mean about Chloe or talked about getting revenge. When one
of our friends asked Victoria how she was dealing with the situation not too long after the gossip started, she answered honestly. Victoria admitted that she often had awful thoughts about Chloe and wished she could hurt Chloe as much as she was hurting her. Whenever those thoughts came Victoria pushed to them to the back of her mind until later. Then when she had a quiet moment she wrote down all the bad thoughts and gave the situation to God, asking him to change her heart toward Chloe, see her the way Jesus did, and heal whatever pain was causing Chloe to hurt others. Nodding, Gavin said, "Like I said, I really admire Victoria for the way she handled this." At that moment, Victoria emerged from the bathroom and called to Julie. The girls got some food from the kitchen, settled down in Julie's room, and watched The Lion King.
Late that afternoon, Julie walked Victoria home. "Hey, Victoria," Julie asked, "why didn't you tell me about that incident between you and Chloe?" Victoria stiffened but didn't answer. Figuring she didn't want to discuss anything connected with that painful time in her life, Julie didn't repeat the question. Several minutes later, Victoria suddenly said, "I found Chloe later that day in the school parking lot. She was crying." Stunned
at this news, Julie waited to see if Victoria would divulge more information. After awhile, Victoria began to talk, "Even though I had been praying that God would somehow enable me to love Chloe despite everything she's said about me, angry thoughts about her kept invading my mind and I soon realized that my angry at her was coming out in other areas of my life. The day befor that incident with her I screamed at my sister for no reason. And on another day before that I sassed my mom when she asked me to do the dishes. By the time that incident with Chloe happened I was literally ready to break her in two, and almost thought about not intervening when the girls I was with looked ready to do it for me.
But then I realized they would get in trouble so I stepped up and convinced them to leave. As soon as school ended I hid in the bathroom where I railed at Chloe for what she was doing to me and at God for allowing her to do it. Finally I went out to the parking lot and that's when I saw Chloe. She was sitting on a bench crying. I was tempted to just walk away but I felt God urging me to go speak with her and, reluctantly, I did.
At first, Chloe was really mean and several times I almost left, but I just felt God telling me that I needed to stay. Eventually, Chloe started telling me about herself and her life. I won't go into details, but she's had it rough for a very long time. As I listened to her, I began feeling an overwhelming compassion for her that I had never experienced before, not even while I was begging God to create a love in my heart for Chloe.
We cried together. Chloe apologized for the rumors she had spread about me and, believe or not, I felt so much love for her by this point I had no problem forgiving her. We decided to put the past behind us and become friends. We traded cell phone numbers and we've been keeping touch ever since. Astounded, Julie said, "Victoria, that's wonderful. I can't believe you had the strength to face her like that after all she's done to you, and now you're friends. But best of all God answered your prayer. He gave you the ability to love Chloe."
"Yes," Victoria said, "He certainly did."
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Sonny's Blues
Sonny: "No, there's no way not to suffer. But you try all kinds of ways to keep from drowning in it (404)."
This is a quote from Sonny's Blues by James Baldwin. In this section of the story, Sonny had been out in the
street listening to a woman sing and when he came inside, Sonny commented to his brother that the woman
must have endured alot of suffering in order to sing like that. His brother stated there was no way not to suffer which led Sonny to make the above quote. And I think Sonny is right. People will try all kinds of
things-from drugs, to alcoholism, to religion-to end their personal suffering. They will try almost anything
to prevent further suffering, even if they are very much aware that most of what they try will just cause them
more pain. Usually and unfortunately, itsn't until they reach the brink of self-destruction that they realize how
much they have ruined their lives to achieve the empty consolation of experiencing a few moments when they
are not suffering. However, coming to this realization does not always convince the person to turn their lives
around and get back on the right track. They have been living in depravity for so long that they belive it's
too late to go back, and that even if they tried to they would fail. Sonny: "And there are some who just live...in hell and they kow it and they see what's happeining and they go right on (404)." So many people
believe that money, popularity, and other empty things will end their suffering, but those people are
wrong. Jesus is the only real antidote for whatever anyone may be going through. Even wonderful things like music, which is the focal point of this story, cannot prevent suffering or heal pain, though music can lead to the One who can and will rescue those in need.
This is a quote from Sonny's Blues by James Baldwin. In this section of the story, Sonny had been out in the
street listening to a woman sing and when he came inside, Sonny commented to his brother that the woman
must have endured alot of suffering in order to sing like that. His brother stated there was no way not to suffer which led Sonny to make the above quote. And I think Sonny is right. People will try all kinds of
things-from drugs, to alcoholism, to religion-to end their personal suffering. They will try almost anything
to prevent further suffering, even if they are very much aware that most of what they try will just cause them
more pain. Usually and unfortunately, itsn't until they reach the brink of self-destruction that they realize how
much they have ruined their lives to achieve the empty consolation of experiencing a few moments when they
are not suffering. However, coming to this realization does not always convince the person to turn their lives
around and get back on the right track. They have been living in depravity for so long that they belive it's
too late to go back, and that even if they tried to they would fail. Sonny: "And there are some who just live...in hell and they kow it and they see what's happeining and they go right on (404)." So many people
believe that money, popularity, and other empty things will end their suffering, but those people are
wrong. Jesus is the only real antidote for whatever anyone may be going through. Even wonderful things like music, which is the focal point of this story, cannot prevent suffering or heal pain, though music can lead to the One who can and will rescue those in need.
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