
Man’s heart away from nature becomes hard
Monks and holy guides of many different faiths agree that each person has their own “grace.” As Thomas Merton writes, “And each way is a grace, a special way is a special grace.”
We find beauty not in the thing itself but in the patterns of shadows, the light and the darkness, that one thing against another creates…
Were it not for shadows, there would be no beauty.
— Junichiro Tanizaki, In Praise of Shadows
This past year, I turned 70, published my first collection of short stories, and lost my eldest brother to cancer. These events left me feeling as if I am only now beginning to know who I am.
Sometimes, the most difficult emotions can reveal things we could not know any other way. My brother’s death became a part of the experience of publishing my book, like a shadow, working its way in and around the light. It awakened me not only to my vulnerabilities but also to my strengths. I realized that my grief made possible the deepest and most meaningful insights. It revealed to me the complicated love I felt for my brother. We didn’t always have an easy relationship. But he was a formidable artist and I deeply admired him.
Working on my book in the wake of his death, I began to see the path of my own life as a writer and I wondered, were it not for him, how would my life have been? Though long invisible to me, I came to see the web of our connection as a beautiful and inextricable part of my life.
The experiences of death and getting older, of continuing to work even as I grieved, were a kind of gift made up of light and shadows. The poignant wisdom of Tanizaki’s words has shown me how the complexity of our lives, though sometimes painful, makes for patterns of beauty that would not otherwise exist.
Carmelinda Blagg
After retiring as a legal assistant for IFC (an affiliate of the World Bank), I began writing and publishing short fiction and last year published my first collection of stories, Geographies, with Atmosphere Press. I am originally from Texas, but have lived in the Washington, DC area for over thirty years. It’s a place that has everything I love – avid readers, writers, bookstores, museums, and classical music.
Join the Conversation
Your voice matters! Join the discussion by posting a comment or replying to an existing one. We’d love to hear what you think. Stay friendly, stay curious!
Read the Stories and Meet the People Who Wrote Them
Wander around and see which stories speak to you. Each story contributes to our collective experiences, creating a bridge of shared understanding.
Share Your Story and Be a Bridge Builder
Reflect on a meaningful saying, quote, poem or song. It could be an old family saying, a quote that inspires you, or a heart-touching poem or song.
Support Us
Our project relies on volunteer efforts, your support would be greatly appreciated to help keep this initiative going. Thank you for considering supporting us!
Monks and holy guides of many different faiths agree that each person has their own “grace.” As Thomas Merton writes, “And each way is a grace, a special way is a special grace.”
On the mantel above my fireplace sits a representation of Quan Yin. I keep her there where I can always see her, because she embodies my intention and my spiritual practice as a human being and as a writer.
I lived in my suburban townhouse for nine years before I set foot inside a neighbor’s house. I knew their names and enough for a few minutes of small talk, but after that it felt safer to hurry back inside…
My husband and I moved to Vermont, in part, because of our love for the land and farming. We filled our new homestead with native plants to support pollinators. This year, our farmer neighbor decided to plant corn on our border – corn laced with pesticides…