S W O O N D: what I read for dinner

9.16.2008

what I read for dinner

These are the words that I want on my gravestone: that I was a helper, and that I danced.

-Anne Lamott, Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith

Anne Lamott is so smart and funny and wise, it's sick. I love her. And she lives in the place where I spent my youth, which makes me love her even more.

What are you reading?

6 comments:

LIBERTY POST EDITOR said...: I love her quote: 'Books for me are medicine'. Isn't that lovely and so true.; 9/17/2008
Leigh said...: I love her!; 9/17/2008
P said...: I read Bird by Bird recently and it was such a revelation. She is so smart and witty and kind - and her insights into writing were so irreverent and wonderful. I would love to take one of her writing workshops.; 9/17/2008
Design Scouting said...: I'm so glad you're back! I love that quote -- I want to be a helper too (I think I've got the laughing part down). xo Hope all is well with you, Abbey; 9/17/2008
Jen said...: I so love Anne Lamott. She's my hero, in such a variety of ways.; 9/18/2008
tangobaby said...: Yay! Welcome back!

I love Anne Lammott. I think Operating Instructions is my absolute favorite book of hers. A book that makes you laugh out loud and embarrass yourself against your will, and then have you crying too. She's remarkable.

I saw her in Nordstrom's once in Corte Madera and stood there like a silly person. I was too shy to go over and say hello. But she looks very shy too.; 9/18/2008

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the world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.

- w. b. yeats

sounds travel through space long after their wave patterns have ceased to be detectable by the human ear: some cut right through the ionosphere and barrel on out into the cosmic heartland, while others bounce around, eventually being absorbed into the vibratory fields of earthly barriers, but in neither case does the energy succumb; it goes on forever - which is why we, each of us, should take pains to make sweet notes.

- tom robbins

the same dream returned each night until i dared not to go to sleep and grew quite ill. i dreamed i had a child, and even in the dream i saw it was my life, and it was an idiot, and i ran away. but it always crept onto my lap again, clutched at my clothes. until i thought, if i could kiss it, whatever in it was my own, perhaps i could sleep. and i bent to its broken face, and it was horrible . . . but i kissed it. i think one must finally take one's life in one's arms.

- arthur miller, after the fall

YIN AND JUNG

who looks outside, dreams;

who looks inside, awakes.

everything that irritates us about others can lead us to a better understanding of ourselves.

when we must deal with problems, we instinctively resist trying the way that leads through obscurity and darkness. we wish to hear only of unequivocal results, and completely forget that these results can only be brought about when we have ventured into and emerged again from the darkness. but to penetrate the darkness we must summon all the powers of enlightenment that consciousness can offer.

- carl jung, the stages of life