Been spending a lot of time in the old cemeteries around town this fall. This all feels very appropriate. I'll be praying with it for the rest of the month
Oh Grace, this is just beautiful - I think we so often treat our mortality in that unkynde way. Your closing prayer reminds me, too, of St. Francis' mention of Sister Bodily Death! Ah, to call death 'sister' - what a remarkable peace.
I can think of Old English poetry about falling leaves, but not Middle! I'm intrigued!
Also - your book comes out on Halloween?! Even more perfect! The cover with the gold foil and all those shifty Medieval eyes is just the best.
I love Fall, but I don't dread Winter for the cold. At our latitude, we get much shorter days, and that might be worse than the cold temperatures! I love 'memento mori' and keep a skull on my desk - a small onyx reminder to take advantage of the time.
Enjoyed the podcast episode on George Macdonald. My second son is named Alister (though spelled Alastair) after the protagonist in his book What's Mine's Mine, which was mentioned on the show.
I also hate fall because it is a harbinger of winter (I live in Canada) when I go to work in the dark and come home in the dark. And leaving my house requires many layers and thinking about "where are my gloves. I try to
remind myself that we need seasons of rest and retreat. So I should see these dark cold days as a time to gather myself to prepare for the business of spring. Hygge. I'm still working on convincing myself. :)
I feel the same way each year about this season, and I think the dying of the light has a lot to do with it. Dark morning and night. I’m glad live in Pennsylvania and not the UK at this time of year! I have been working through some similar thoughts about death, change and decay as related to faith. They bring grief, but also needed change! And goodness too. How do we reconcile these to our christian culture which sometimes only acknowledges newness and life. St Francis’ ode to Sister Death is one of the arrows I think.
Also, love the afterword about fall - perhaps it’s the Anglo-Saxon word and autumn is French?
Haha wasn't sure if anyone was going to read that footnote. Yes, autumn is from the French. Started being used as automnpe around the 13th century, fall started being used until the 15th, they were used interchangeably until much later!
Been spending a lot of time in the old cemeteries around town this fall. This all feels very appropriate. I'll be praying with it for the rest of the month
That’s beautiful!
Oh Grace, this is just beautiful - I think we so often treat our mortality in that unkynde way. Your closing prayer reminds me, too, of St. Francis' mention of Sister Bodily Death! Ah, to call death 'sister' - what a remarkable peace.
I can think of Old English poetry about falling leaves, but not Middle! I'm intrigued!
Also - your book comes out on Halloween?! Even more perfect! The cover with the gold foil and all those shifty Medieval eyes is just the best.
Thank you Kristin! St Francis is so wonderful ♥️
I love Fall, but I don't dread Winter for the cold. At our latitude, we get much shorter days, and that might be worse than the cold temperatures! I love 'memento mori' and keep a skull on my desk - a small onyx reminder to take advantage of the time.
The shorter days are so difficult. Love the skull on the desk 💀
Enjoyed the podcast episode on George Macdonald. My second son is named Alister (though spelled Alastair) after the protagonist in his book What's Mine's Mine, which was mentioned on the show.
Great name!
I also hate fall because it is a harbinger of winter (I live in Canada) when I go to work in the dark and come home in the dark. And leaving my house requires many layers and thinking about "where are my gloves. I try to
remind myself that we need seasons of rest and retreat. So I should see these dark cold days as a time to gather myself to prepare for the business of spring. Hygge. I'm still working on convincing myself. :)
Hygge! I’m working on it too
I feel the same way each year about this season, and I think the dying of the light has a lot to do with it. Dark morning and night. I’m glad live in Pennsylvania and not the UK at this time of year! I have been working through some similar thoughts about death, change and decay as related to faith. They bring grief, but also needed change! And goodness too. How do we reconcile these to our christian culture which sometimes only acknowledges newness and life. St Francis’ ode to Sister Death is one of the arrows I think.
Also, love the afterword about fall - perhaps it’s the Anglo-Saxon word and autumn is French?
Haha wasn't sure if anyone was going to read that footnote. Yes, autumn is from the French. Started being used as automnpe around the 13th century, fall started being used until the 15th, they were used interchangeably until much later!
Thanks, Kimi!