judging a book

There was a time in my life that I thought that I would far prefer the gift of a book than, say, flowers. It was my idea that roses and posies would wilt, die, and fade and that a book and its contents would endure forever. Now, nearly buried in my hoarded books, I am rethinking this notion of enduring forever.




I have books whose contents ought never to have endured the publishing process, let alone my dragging them about the country with me.

So now, in my years wizened by experience and back-breaking book-hauling, I have reconsidered the gift of flowers and the blessed release of returning their components to the circle of life when their spent blooms adorn the top of the compost pile. My first days of class this week, my desk was made beautiful by the bouquet gifts of administration and one student, encouraged and enabled by his thoughtful mother.

This being said, my mailwoman is not aware of my decreased interest in hoarding books. - ah' thanks be to Amazon. (http://www.amazon.com)

lizard keepers

"Garnett wanted to tell her a thing or two about God's plan. That the creatures of this earth came to pass and sometimes passed on. That these matters were not ours to control if we were, as she claimed, merely one species among our brethren, the animals. And if we were not the equal of animals, if we were meant instead to be masters and keepers of Eden, as the Bible said, then "lizards" (salamanders) were put here for man to go bass fishing with, and that was that. She couldn't have it both ways. It was all quite clear to Garnett. Yet his logic always cowered before her curt and snappy replies." ~ Prodigal Summer, pg.138,139

I hadn't understood the philosophy of what being master of the animals could mean. I didn't know that it could mean that utilizing may rightly mean 'unto extinction', or for no apparent purpose other than to be be utilized or killed. I had thought inherent in this command and charge was the notion of 'stewardship' and preservation.
It is always good to be stretched a little and come up against new ideas, or more of an understanding with existing practices.