Saturday, June 6, 2009

I listened to The Giver today read through my stereo speakers by…I don’t know who. And I cried. I’ve read it before, of course, but only a few years ago--not in middle school like many others. It was just coming into being when I was that age. I cried when Jonas was given memories by the Giver, and I cried because memories, when you really think about what they are and their weight in all humanity, are a force indescribable, and I was sad, distraught, really, with the grief that the community did not know them, did not know memory, did not know the depth of feeling, did not know the incredibly destructive and yet incredibly beautiful and life-giving chaos that comes with it. And I realized if faced with the decision, I would choose chaotic beauty over safety, as if that’s a surprise. If you have never read The Giver, you should. But don’t do it if you’re life is full to the margins. It requires time to drink in. Deserves it, really.

And so on the heels of that, I write this blog. It will not be a long one. I have little to say as I think about what I just heard. While listening to the book, I finally finished putting up the rest of the photos I’ve chosen to tack onto my wall. In the process, I wished I had a little extra money, because I have pictures taken more recently that I want to see. I am amused, I will say, because my pictures have been so meticulously put on my wall that I think it’s quite humorous. One look at my wall and you’d think I was an uptight perfectionist. One look at any of my drawers, though, and you’d realize I’m just that way with pictures and not much of the rest of my life.

In the midst of listening to The Giver, I decided to take a little break and go on another picture taking adventure. It was a little late for that decision and it was a bit of a race against the sun to take some good pictures before it went down. So much of a race that I finally made it to the top of the hill at the back of Asbury College in time to get shots of the sun sinking behind the horizon. It’s the first time I’ve ever watched the sun sink below the skyline, and it was impressive. I headed up through the college campus this time, so all the shots are from there. And I managed to get back to the dorm just in time to catch Marilyn dropping off her bike so I can use it for Ichthus next week (if you recall, my bike is not in working order, currently). Here are a few of the shots I captured.


Earlier today, as I sat unhealthily glued to Facebook, I was inspired to make banana muffins. The bananas in my room were bad enough that I knew I’d have to make bread in the next couple of days, and so today I attempted muffins instead. And what a break through this is for me! This gives me a much easier way to store the leftovers and a less messy way to eat. I just might be making it this way most of the time from now on.

On that note, I will head off to bed. The sooner I get to sleep the sooner I can wake up and eat another one. Mmm.