I am grateful for the fine journalism and opinion pieces published by MinnPost, an online newspaper which we have been supporting since its inception. For our literary community, here’s a sobering article about a Sinclair Lewis book reacting to totalitarian uprisings 80 years ago.
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Day #345: Bees
I am grateful for the bees who are a vital part of the chain of life. I grew up very afraid of them … I am thankful that we are educating everyone about their importance. An attitude adjustment shifted my fear to respect and admiration.
Day #332: Ag in the Classroom
Do you know the National Agriculture in the Classroom folks? There’s an office in many of our agricultural states. They take books and agricultural literacy to the schools, doing their best to teach children where their food comes from and why we need to advocate for farmers and farming. I am grateful for the work they do.
Day #322: Ananda
I am grateful for “ananda.” I remember this from my first reading of the book. It’s a goal.
“Ananda,” said Mrs. Murry thoughtfully. “That rings some kind of bell.”
“It’s Sanskrit,” Charles Wallace said.
Meg asked, “Does it mean anything?”
“That joy in existence without which the universe will collapse and fall apart.”
(Madeleine L’Engle, A Swiftly Tilting Planet)
Day #319: The Crucible
from the article published in The New Yorker, October 13, 1996
It was seventh grade. Our school play was “The Crucible.” We examined that book through the lens of acting, understanding it more fully than reading the book. It had a profound influence on me. From Arthur Miller: “In those years, our thought processes were becoming so magical, so paranoid, that to imagine writing a play about this environment was like trying to pick one’s teeth with a ball of wool: I lacked the tools to illuminate miasma. Yet I kept being drawn back to it.”
In this article, the playwright shares the story behind his drama about the Salem witch trials: “Why I Wrote The Crucible,” Arthur Miller, The New Yorker, October 13, 1996.
Day #316: Remembering Mom
It’s been eight years since this lady passed away. I am grateful for the many years I experienced her good humor, her storytelling, her teaching, her avid following of sports, her caring for everyone, especially people she didn’t know, and her capacity for love. She’s pictured here with a teddy bear Steve made for her, making that face that says, “Oh, how cute.” We miss you, Mom.
Day #312: Butterflies
I am grateful for the beauty and function of all butterflies. That function is essential to our ecosystem. We are doing our part to keep them thriving in this world. How about you?
Day #211: A Universe of Stories
Earlier this week, Steve and I drove to Cannon Falls where we visited the gorgeous public library. What a friendly space! They are in the midst of their summer reading program, the theme of which “A Universe of Stories” has been met with stellar success. To all the children’s librarians in all of the public libraries across America, thank you for caring so much about kids and reading that you put forth supernova efforts to bring readers and non-readers into the library.
Day #202: Perennial Garden
When our perennial garden blooms each year, I am besotted. Such beauty. We are so blessed by the grace and persistence of these individual works of art.
Day #185: Preserving Our Democracy
On this weekend, as we remember the sacrifices made by so many of our citizens to preserve our democracy, I am grateful for the words of Scott Pelley, who reminds us that “we are all woven into the tapestry of stars.” Have a listen to “Divided We Stand? Scott Pelley on Our American Flag and Our Common Purpose“
