little philosophies

A speech to read by George Saunder's, with a few lovely gems in it here.

"What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness."

move-on-in (little philosophies)

Having now lived at the following addresses (not including moves from dorm to dorm to apartment at 501 College Ave):

14 Madrone Ave, CA

75 Park Ave, NY

501 College Ave, IL

St. Anne's Dorm, England

1044 Garner Ave, IL

207 Roosevelt Rd, IL

I have a bit of a system with the cleaning, packing, sorting, unpacking, stacking, sticking, shuffling and sighing that goes with moving all of one's material possessions from A to B. I have found that I must start earlier than is necessary, do one room or area at a time, and make a minimum number of things to get rid of and stick to it. But this is boring, everyone moves in their own way with their own system in order to manage the anxiety-panic-frustration of boxing a life away. Fortunately I have moved in with wonderful, wonderful people and have a cozy bed, two necessities for me. My other necessities being clean sheets, postcards and sketches and photographs stuck with tape to a wall, and piles of glass containers full of my pens and scissors and flowers and coins. 

I am back in the land of wi-fi, and will therefore be dedicated once again to typing up sweet nothings for these semi-creative posts.

little philosophies

Another thing to consider: “Intelligence is like four-wheel drive. It only allows you to get stuck in more remote places.” Garrison Keillor

day off (little philosophies)

Moved in, moved furniture, unpacked kitchen, did laundry, put up clothesline, started full-time shifts at Blackberry, budgeted out finances, figured out banking, started digging a garden, planted seeds to sprout on my windowsill, decorated room (sort-of).

A few of the things I have done already this week, it being only Thursday I feel fairly accomplished. Today is my day off, and I am perched in a corner of Caribou in downtown Wheaton, siphoning three hours worth of wi-fi with one cup of tea. I am now extremely judgmental of all coffee shops, having had my official coffee training and learned how to do everything correctly - even (what?!) latte art. I now know from practice that if you are handed any espresso drink in less than two minutes, it cannot possibly have been made well. Work is fun, but so busy, and I am dog-tired at the end of the day from making salads and busing tables and having credit cards thrown at me before I am ready to swipe them. Fortunately closing shifts are rewarded with day old cinnamon rolls, soup, cupcakes, and whatever else is sitting around, and my freezer has some beautiful goodies in it. The house is coming together beautifully, minus a slight asbestos problem in the upstairs bedroom that will be shortly gone, so if anyone is free come July or August . . .

I was going to put in a little philosophy, but I have just hit my I AM STARVING moment and am going to quickly bike back home and make myself some soup.

Cheers!

little philosophies

“We have to be braver than we think we can be, because God is constantly calling us to be more than we are.” Madeleine L'Engle

I have been re-reading A Wind in the Door and Many Waters, trying to thrift a copy of A Swiftly Tilting Planet. I forgot how rich Madeleine L'Engle's writing is - how complex and full of good things.

little philosophies

And one more quotation to consider:
“We would rather be ruined than changed. We would rather die in our dread than climb the cross of the moment and let our illusions die.” W.H. Auden

Photo courtesy of frolic (elseachelsea.typepad.com)

little philosophies

photo via Jake Stangal.

From "These Poems, She Said" by Robert Bringhurst, Poetry Magazine

little philosophies

photo via my tumblr.

Additionally, Joyeux Anniversaire to Maman! Des gros bisous to you aujourd'hui.

little philosophies/theological hour

Today is the literary birthday (well, the actual birthday of a great literary figure) of Albert Camus.

In honor of his thoughts, here are ten thoughtful, wonderful, extraordinary quotes of his (I starred my very favorites). For me, reading Camus is an example of how one can find truth and understanding in many places and books, whatever the philosophical and theological leanings of the author. So thank you to Camus for his contribution to seeking truth in this world.

You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.*

You know what charm is: a way of getting the answer yes without having asked any clear question.

There are causes worth dying for, but none worth killing for.*

The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.*

The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.

Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth.

It is the job of thinking people not to be on the side of the executioners.

Seeking what is true is not seeking what is desirable.**

We all carry within us places of exile, our crimes, our ravages. Our task is not to unleash them on the world; it is to transform them in ourselves and others.

little philosophies

Well, tomorrow is election day, so I thought I would theme this weeks' little philosophy on something regarding political participation, democracy, etc. But first! A beautiful photograph (not mine) of a sunflower in frost (November florals):

Now that you have smiled at a thing of unique beauty, let me just note that I have been greatly troubled this Fall by my lack of enthusiasm for either Presidential candidate. Especially as I take political participation and awareness quite seriously. 

I found myself voting (in my first election!) for No One, a penned-in protest vote voicing the dissenting belief that voting for the lesser of two evils is still voting for evil. As I do not happen to believe that either candidate is more godly than the other, and am unimpressed by economic policy on one hand and foreign policy on the other, well, it couldn't be helped. And while reminding myself that I pledge allegiance only to my sovereign God, I still rather wanted to vote enthusiastically and bright-eyed for a vibrant and passionate candidate . . . ah, to have been of age in 2008. 

So. Count your beauty in the flowers of the field, put your hope in the voices of your children and in the wisdom of your elders, and pen in a vote even if your heart isn't in it. For the patriotic exercise, the political one, the protest one, or the intellectual one - but make it an exercise of participation one way or another. 

These are my thoughts on tomorrow, but mostly I am just praying that the church (and I as the church) would not be divided by partisanship, but have the courage to stand for peace and for love in the next four years and those to come.

xx Tor

little philosophies

I Capture the Castle

little philosophies

"You have never seen another person who is not a wonder." John Piper


"It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would strongly be tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal."

— C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

little philosophies

little philosophies

"The real struggle…is about you: you, a person who has to learn to live in the real world, to inhabit her own skin, to know her own heart, to stop waiting for her life to begin."

—Caroline Knapp 

Photo: George Ko, "Ablution"

little philosophies

little philosophies

"We are 

People who need to love, because 

Love is the soul's life, 

Love is simply creation's greatest joy."

-HAFIZ

little philosophies

photo via pinterest.com

little philosophies

little philosophies

photograph of Francoise Hardy, circa 1960

little philosophies