When I was in Jr. High (1985-1986, Oh, the 80's) I lived near the 4-H building. Every 1st Saturday and Sunday the 4-H building was home to a flea market. This was long before the days of eBay and Craigslist. The flea market was the only place to find rare baseball cards, and junk you wished you never bought. One of those items was GENUINE ASH FROM MOUNT SAINT HELENS. I begged my mother to let me buy some, but she said no. I was mortified. Just three years ago I took my students to see Edward O. Wilson speak at Goshen College. I was afraid his speech would be boring for my students. I was greatly surprised. Wilson was not only knowledgeable, he was entertaining. Not one of my students fell asleep! They were captivated by his intellect and wit. Both Le Guin and Wilson know the importance of science, but they also understand a connection to nature that is non-scientific. I've never quite understood how some can divorce themselves from that connection. Wendell Berry wrote, "When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of still water. And I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their light. For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free." I don't want to loose this connection. Even when my project plagues me, I want to remember the freedom the still water gives.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Le Guin/Wilson
When I was in Jr. High (1985-1986, Oh, the 80's) I lived near the 4-H building. Every 1st Saturday and Sunday the 4-H building was home to a flea market. This was long before the days of eBay and Craigslist. The flea market was the only place to find rare baseball cards, and junk you wished you never bought. One of those items was GENUINE ASH FROM MOUNT SAINT HELENS. I begged my mother to let me buy some, but she said no. I was mortified. Just three years ago I took my students to see Edward O. Wilson speak at Goshen College. I was afraid his speech would be boring for my students. I was greatly surprised. Wilson was not only knowledgeable, he was entertaining. Not one of my students fell asleep! They were captivated by his intellect and wit. Both Le Guin and Wilson know the importance of science, but they also understand a connection to nature that is non-scientific. I've never quite understood how some can divorce themselves from that connection. Wendell Berry wrote, "When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of still water. And I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their light. For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free." I don't want to loose this connection. Even when my project plagues me, I want to remember the freedom the still water gives.
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Man you write so well. I really was imagining a little Jabin begging his mom for ash from St. Helen, it explains so much about you. I was also at that presentation by E.O. Wilson, it was great! I want to go to another presentation but be a little more researched and know what he is talking about.
ReplyDeleteI had the same feelings towards Jabins thoughtful writing. But I do think that you should have bugged our mom a little harder because it would have been cool if you could bring the ash to school today. I also think that selling jars of ash at a flea market says something about how we take it personally (here we atually took it. haha)
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