Woven Together
united we...survive
I’m not foolish; I know that true unity has been vanishingly rare in the human experience. And in these fractious days, in these “United” States, it seems like a totally impossible goal. Like perfect love and perfect peace, we may never be able to attain perfect unity, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make the effort. The effort alone makes a huge positive difference. As I thought about this, I happened upon a powerful and beautiful piece of art created by a young teenager. Anja Rosen imagined us as parts of a colorful, lovely woven whole. Take a look (and then listen to Anja herself).
ART: “UNITY” BY ANJA ROSEN (AGE 13)
This drawing is by Anja Rozen, an extraordinary 8th grade student in Slovenia.
Her peace poster, “Unity” was the winner of an international competition sponsored by the Lions Club.
Here’s a short video about Anja:
AND HERE ARE ANJA’S THOUGHTS ABOUT “UNITY”…
"My drawing represents the land that binds us and unites us. Humans are woven together. If someone gives up, others fall. We are all connected to our planet and to each other, but unfortunately we are little aware of it. We are woven together. Other people weave alongside me my own story; and I weave theirs.”
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: E.B. WHITE
“Writing is an act of faith, not a trick of grammar.” —Elwyn Brooks White
My introduction to the works of E.B. White did not come from his masterpieces of children’s literature Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little (which I first read as an adult). No, I started by reading his pieces in The New Yorker, followed by the collected Letters of E.B. White and Essays of E.B. White. Then I devoured The Elements of Style, the timeless writer’s Bible, which he co-authored with William Strunk. I appreciated “Andy” White’s brilliant writing, dry wit, and ability to convey deep sentiment without sentimentality. I learned about his lifelong battle with anxiety, his beautiful marriage to editor Katherine Angell, his love of both the streets of New York and bucolic North Brooklin, Maine. If you only know White through Charlotte and Stuart, I encourage you to read (much) more of his work for grownups. Truly one of the finest American writers.
And finally, words of wisdom from one of his collected letters:
North Brooklin, Maine
30 March 1973
Dear Mr. Nadeau:
As long as there is one upright man, as long as there is one compassionate woman, the contagion may spread and the scene is not desolate. Hope is the thing that is left to us, in a bad time. I shall get up Sunday morning and wind the clock, as a contribution to order and steadfastness.
Sailors have an expression about the weather: they say, the weather is a great bluffer. I guess the same is true of our human society—things can look dark, then a break shows in the clouds, and all is changed, sometimes rather suddenly. It is quite obvious that the human race has made a queer mess of life on this planet. But as a people we probably harbor seeds of goodness that have lain for a long time waiting to sprout when the conditions are right. Man’s curiosity, his relentlessness, his inventiveness, his ingenuity have led him into deep trouble. We can only hope that these same traits will enable him to claw his way out.
Hang on to your hat. Hang on to your hope. And wind the clock, for tomorrow is another day.
Sincerely,
(Signed, ‘E. B. White’)
MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT: BRIAN ENO
MUSIC: UNDER STARS
VIDEO: ENO (GENERATIVE DOCUMENTARY TRAILER)
Brian Eno is an extraordinary musician, music producer and visionary. His collaborators have included David Byrne (Talking Heads) and many others. He was a pioneer of ambient music. In true Eno fashion, this documentary, directed by Gary Hustwit, utilizes computer software that re-combines music, 30 hours of interviews and 500 hours of film to create 52 QUINTILLION possible versions of the movie. I can’t wait to see it—and if YOU see it, it’ll be a totally different movie! Mind blown!
ESSAY: THE LONG NOW
I wrote this essay for Living Lutheran in 2021, after learning about Danny Hillis’ amazing Long Now clock project. Hillis is building a clock that will keep time for 10,000 years, chiming periodically. The chimes, which will never repeat their sounds, were created by…guess who? Brian Eno! I invite you to read about this wonderful, hopeful project…Looking at the Long Now
BLOG PREVIEW: CLEAN UP ON AISLE FIVE
Life is so messy (at least my life is). I spend a good bit of time trying to clean up my mistakes, missteps and misspeakings. I picture myself as a weary grocery store employee, forever sweeping up the results of close encounters between toddlers and pyramid displays of glass-bottled pickles.
Alas, I am on my own in this endeavor, but the rich and famous have a whole team to tidy up the unwise things they have said and done. “Sanewashing” is the buzzy term for re-casting a ridiculous, bordering on nutty, pronouncement or situation as perfectly normal.
Join me over at Working Title as we do ( just a little) “sanewashing”!
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
OK, OK, Tom Merton, disregard what I wrote at the beginning of this newsletter. I WANT to believe that our unity is not just aspirational, but a foundational reality. So, this week, I will try hard to live into Merton’s quote. Join me, my friends?