interior life

[from An American Childhood © 1987 by Annie Dillard, p20:]

---The interior life is often stupid. Its egoism blinds it and deafens it; its imagination spins out ignorant tales, fascinated. It fancies that the western wind blows on the Self, and leaves fall at the feet of the Self for a reason, and people are watching. A mind risks real ignorance for the sometimes paltry prize of an imagination enriched. The trick of reason is to get the imagination to seize the actual world—if only from time to time.


[Hard words, but right on. This quote begins a part of the book about Annie Dillard being five and overcoming a fear of going to bed because of the repeated perception of the approach of a monster in her bedroom. Eventually she figures out what she's actually perceiving; read the book and find out what caused her fears—you'll love it!

Here's to seizing the actual world. Shine on, you crazy diamonds . . . .]

back again

Ok, so today no quote. (And thanks for granting me a month's vacation: i needed it.)

Who cares about "Lit" anymore anyway, when there's everything else in the world? Music. Tele-visions. Insulated double-pane windows. Nature trails. Running shoes. A million different wonders.

Take some time and enjoy it all. Or at least what you have time for.