Anthony Gitten in his book, Reading the Clouds, writes:
“There was a time in Western history when memories and stories, music and song; were the threads of human culture. Families told stories and congregations sang songs, and people knew where they came from and where they were bound.
Then the age of Enlightenment succeeded in replacing myths and fairy tales; stories and song with rational explanation and scientific truth…
If we have gained some intellectual insight, we became, as a people spiritually starved and emotionally emaciated. And now the damage is done…..Western Christianity and culture seems almost to have misplaced its soul…..
We have all but forgotten who we are or where we come from….."(53)
The photo of this post is of my dear grandmother, Mary Elizabeth. She is the person who sang songs, told stories, laughed, danced, invented, and wrote poems and stories.
Most people said she was not practical, that she walked around with her head in the clouds. I say, "Thank God." Because she did not attempt to analyze and explain everything, she had the space and the time to enjoy the mystery of life and creation.
What we need are storytellers....for we have lost our souls and are starving to dream and enjoy.
2 comments:
Amen. I love science but it brings me joy not boring rationalism. I love stories too - I'm lucky I'm paid to drink coffee and listen to fascinating stories (!). I think we need to recover laughing (especially in the midst of all this worry about world finances etc) and stories, and emotional and spiritual grounding.
Your grandma sounds fab.
That woman looks like a certain woman I've seen at your Thanksgiving table. Genes are spooky!
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