The twilight, in fact, had several stages, and several times after it had grown dusky, acquired a new transparency, and the trees on the hillsides were lit up again.
--Henry David Thoreau
I'm feeling much better today. I had some stressful sad moments, but used the opportunity to call some girlfriends - God bless them - and they got me through, and you know what? I feel happy! A couple things I wanted to mention.
One of my former writing class students, Hallie Gardner, got this article published in E/The Environmental Magazine. It's so neat to go from interaction on a piece to finalized product! Cut Down: Clearcutting in California’s Sierra Nevada.
And I have the cover story in this month's Texas Parks & Wildlife, along with writers Barbara Rodriguez, & Sheryl Smith-Rodgers. 30 Cheap Getaways: Quick, outdoorsy getaways near Dallas, Houston, and Central Texas.
That's all for now. Tomorrow it's my son Sam's turn to perform his school's play in the PSIA competition at St. Francis Episcopal School for the regional meet. This is the private school version of UIL that Savannah did last week and her play got first place!! She didn't have an acting role this time but was costage-director but Sam does have a speaking role. I'm excited to see him! I love my kids!!
The quote from Thoreau came in a daily inspirational email I get, and it was an aha moment kind of thing because in Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard, which is one of my all-time favorite books and which won a Pulitzer - and is just gorgeously written and profound and brilliant and beautiful (but enough gushing)... she talks about "the tree with the lights in it" and I never really quite knew what she meant. I got the metaphor but I think she must have actually been referring to this quote from Thoreau (because throughout she regularly references other nature writers and other writers and scientists directly and indirectly). The inspirational email ended with this bit of wisdom, "It's true that it's darkest before the dawn, but we have countless candles to brighten our night" which is from the book Night Light by Amy Dean. It spoke to me because my friends are the candles that brighten the night!
4 comments:
I went to Annie Dillard's alma mater-Hollins University in Roanoke, VA. Running quietly through the campus is Tinker Creek and I always felt like I shared a special secret with the few people that knew where Tinker Creek was.
How cool!!! That's awesome :)
You are a light yourself, Wen, and have lit up a dark night or two of mine over the years. Thank you for that. My friend Daniel wrote a song called 'I'll remember for you' which is about remembering for each other when it seems like the dark will never end and it you can't see a clear path into the light. Friends are like lighthouses on the coast, they help us steer through the fog.
awww Daline you made my day! I sometimes feel like someone who goes out putting out lights - lol. Lifes so hard sometimes... But yes, friends are so beautiful and brilliant and especially those that hang in through good and bad, through our follies and successes - there is no greater worth in my life than those - including and especially you! More precious than gold!
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