Peering into Darkness
Hey everyone, today’s inspirational quote comes from Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Raven.” If you don’t know it, you may want to check it out. It’s creepy and musical and lovely, about how a young man, who, one night while sitting by the fire, hears a raven tapping at his door. When he opens the door and the bird flies in, the bird haunts him, reminding him of his lost love, Lenore. Through the repetition of the word “Nevermore,” the raven eventually drives the narrator mad. He’s tortured not only by his lost love but also by his own mortality.
Might and Main Monday: Struggling Not to Wilt in Summer
The heat of summer is intensifying. The sun beams a hotter radiation on Earth and challenges all growing things. Plants wilt, dogs pant, people sweat. I sit down at dinner and drink a large glass of ice water, then return to the fridge and refill. As dusk settles, I water my plants with the hose, then go inside to fill the dog’s dish. The sun is relentless and the work, difficult. Just when I feel on top of the watering, another hot day dawns.
Because water has taken over my life, I searched this week for quotes about it. They all seemed obvious: that water was our lifeblood, that we are drops in an ocean, etc. But then I found these words by Margaret Atwood. It’s about the power of water and how to be like it. It’s brilliant. I hope it helps you as you head into the week.
“Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing in the end can stand against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away a stone. Remember that, my child. Remember you are half water. If you can’t go through an obstacle, go around it. Water does.”
―Margaret Atwood, The Penelopiad
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