We live a world away here on the edge of the sweltering country, breeze ruffling hair and golden sun warming the sidewalks. Sophie is barefoot in her wheelchair, and when I pull her up and out of it we sit under a tree and listen to the ruffling. I'd refuse heaven for this, the yellow jacket's ruffle as it squirms on clover, Sophie's curled up toe, the bit of hardened callus from a slanting gait, the bits of grass stuck to my ankle where it digs in the dirt. I read a book in two hours this morning called By The Iowa Sea: A Memoir of Disaster and Love, and there is no telling in a re-telling, a book that pulled me down and back up, horizontal meandering, up and over, softly ruffled -- sweltering heat, a refusal of heaven, a walk away.
Your writing slaying me again . Never walk away from that please :)
ReplyDeleteMe too. Oh yes. You took me right there and I gloried.
ReplyDeleteYour gorgeous, gorgeous words.
ReplyDeleteRight now I'm sweltering but soon I will be sitting on the beach. And I am going to pay attention. And then I'm going to borrow that line - I'd refuse heaven for this, I will tell them.
ReplyDeleteoooo, i am ALL OVER this! i wonder if its available at the library? i love a well written memoir - so when are ya gonna write yours?!?!?
ReplyDeleteI love your book reviews - you have never steered me wrong.
ReplyDelete-Julia
Excellent! Your writing, the day, and the book recommendation. I am feeling a world away, too. No wildfires or oppressive heat or power outages here. Just books and kids and breezes. These are the days I will store in my head for the rainy winter so I can pull up gratitude from the depths.
ReplyDeleteI'd refuse heaven for this. My god, your writing. Breathtaking.
ReplyDelete