Over here on the East Coast of Canada, Prince Edward Island, I am finding joy in being fully present to the glories of summer! The smell of salt in the air, the deliciousness of strawberries in season, feet in warm sand, the sound of the waves crashing on the shore, the hum of tourists in the city, the lushness and many colours of green, the last of the peonies, the scent of wild roses, the vibrance of the red dirt in contrast with the green fields. SIGH - nature is abundant with life and exuberant in colour. Reading "The Man in Black and Other Stories" by Elly Griffiths and "A Truce that is Not Peace" by Miriam Toews.
Magnificent, all of this! What a feast for the senses, and for the mind. I'm so glad you are seeing so many joys flit by this summer, and taking time to savor them.
Not specifically something that brings me hope…but as I lived my life vicariously through your article, one of my main takeaways was “you know, I don’t read like I once did. Not just to learn something, but for the sense of awe found in reading for pleasure”. Thanks for the positive example!
Also: visio divina? I’ll have to learn more about this!
I used to have lots of other hobbies, but with hands-on parenting, reading is the easiest one to pick up and put down, and it's always been such a sincere joy for me. Visio divina is great! It's just slow looking, paying attention to where your eye is drawn, being attentive to your emotions and anything God may be communicating to you through art. You'd love it!
Yesterday I filled a bowl with blueberries and blackberries and cherries and yelled, to no one, really: We're rich! Rich in fruit is a good rich to be.
I'm feeling joyful just having read your words and picturing your face! Okay, I have to admit I'm a little jealous of your and David's library/lunch situation. David and I were in the same fiction critique group and he is a wonder of a writer and reader. That sounds like such fun!
Also, I'm in awe of how much reading you get done. What's my excuse?! I haven't read Karen Russel (so smart and so inventive!) since her early short stories, so I must rectify that. And, welcome to the Ross Gay fan club.
Want to hear my most embarrassing Ross Gay story? Each year, I travel (home-ish) to Youngstown, Ohio, for Lit Youngstown's Fall Literary Festival. A few years ago, Ross Gay (who is from Youngstown) was our keynote (note that he gave his gift back to the organization) and I was highly anticipating his reading (held in the most gorgeous old stone church) and book-signing. His reading was amazing, of course. And as I was waiting to have him sign my copy of Inciting Joy, I was getting nervous and a little teary. To say I WEPT once I was face to face with Ross is not an exaggeration at all. I believe I also told him he is the best non-Catholic Catholic writer I know. He wrote down the name of a religious studies prof--J. Kameron Carter--he admires as I blubbered. I do think an anthology along the lines of "Reading Ross Gay at Church" is warranted. Someday when I'm bored I'll solicit your essay.
And that fruit box--talk about abundance.
I'll be missing you this summer, but I'm cherishing all your words!
Thank you for this most amazing comment! I love that story about Ross Gay! I managed not to cry (narrowly), but I did have to tell him that he made me feel like we're gonna be okay, like, you know, humanity as a whole. What a gift he is. Love your idea!
David is a wonder!! This library has been such a great thing for both of us! Oh, I'm just a reading machine--I used to have lots of other creative hobbies, but reading is the easiest thing to put down and pick back up in this age of intensive parenting! It has become my afternoon treat with coffee, of course.
Over here on the East Coast of Canada, Prince Edward Island, I am finding joy in being fully present to the glories of summer! The smell of salt in the air, the deliciousness of strawberries in season, feet in warm sand, the sound of the waves crashing on the shore, the hum of tourists in the city, the lushness and many colours of green, the last of the peonies, the scent of wild roses, the vibrance of the red dirt in contrast with the green fields. SIGH - nature is abundant with life and exuberant in colour. Reading "The Man in Black and Other Stories" by Elly Griffiths and "A Truce that is Not Peace" by Miriam Toews.
Magnificent, all of this! What a feast for the senses, and for the mind. I'm so glad you are seeing so many joys flit by this summer, and taking time to savor them.
Not specifically something that brings me hope…but as I lived my life vicariously through your article, one of my main takeaways was “you know, I don’t read like I once did. Not just to learn something, but for the sense of awe found in reading for pleasure”. Thanks for the positive example!
Also: visio divina? I’ll have to learn more about this!
I used to have lots of other hobbies, but with hands-on parenting, reading is the easiest one to pick up and put down, and it's always been such a sincere joy for me. Visio divina is great! It's just slow looking, paying attention to where your eye is drawn, being attentive to your emotions and anything God may be communicating to you through art. You'd love it!
Wonderful!!! Oh my gosh - local summer fruit!!! - talk about joy - hooray!!! 🌞
Yesterday I filled a bowl with blueberries and blackberries and cherries and yelled, to no one, really: We're rich! Rich in fruit is a good rich to be.
I'm feeling joyful just having read your words and picturing your face! Okay, I have to admit I'm a little jealous of your and David's library/lunch situation. David and I were in the same fiction critique group and he is a wonder of a writer and reader. That sounds like such fun!
Also, I'm in awe of how much reading you get done. What's my excuse?! I haven't read Karen Russel (so smart and so inventive!) since her early short stories, so I must rectify that. And, welcome to the Ross Gay fan club.
Want to hear my most embarrassing Ross Gay story? Each year, I travel (home-ish) to Youngstown, Ohio, for Lit Youngstown's Fall Literary Festival. A few years ago, Ross Gay (who is from Youngstown) was our keynote (note that he gave his gift back to the organization) and I was highly anticipating his reading (held in the most gorgeous old stone church) and book-signing. His reading was amazing, of course. And as I was waiting to have him sign my copy of Inciting Joy, I was getting nervous and a little teary. To say I WEPT once I was face to face with Ross is not an exaggeration at all. I believe I also told him he is the best non-Catholic Catholic writer I know. He wrote down the name of a religious studies prof--J. Kameron Carter--he admires as I blubbered. I do think an anthology along the lines of "Reading Ross Gay at Church" is warranted. Someday when I'm bored I'll solicit your essay.
And that fruit box--talk about abundance.
I'll be missing you this summer, but I'm cherishing all your words!
Thank you for this most amazing comment! I love that story about Ross Gay! I managed not to cry (narrowly), but I did have to tell him that he made me feel like we're gonna be okay, like, you know, humanity as a whole. What a gift he is. Love your idea!
David is a wonder!! This library has been such a great thing for both of us! Oh, I'm just a reading machine--I used to have lots of other creative hobbies, but reading is the easiest thing to put down and pick back up in this age of intensive parenting! It has become my afternoon treat with coffee, of course.
I hope your summer is full of delights!