(no subject)
Sep. 7th, 2007 06:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
vivienWhen I was nine, the abstract concepts of grace and faith became real to me after reading one special book.
"Not a song," Mrs. O'Keefe contradicted. "A rune. Patrick's rune. To hold up against danger. In this fateful hour I place all Heaven and its power-"
Without warning, the lights went out. A gust of wind dashed across the table, blowing out the candles. The humming of the refrigerator ceased. There was no purring from the furnace in the cellar. A cold dampness clutched the room, filling their nostrils with the stench of decay. The flames in the fireplace dwindled.
"Say it, Mom," Charles Wallace called. "Say it all!"
Mrs. O'Keefe's voice was weak. "I forget-"
The lightning outside was so brilliant that light penetrated the closed curtains. A tremendous crash of thunder followed immediately.
"I'll say it with you." Charles Wallace's voice was urgent. "But you'll have to help me. Come on. In this fateful hour I place Heaven and all its power..."
Lightning and thunder were almost simultaneous. Then they heard a gigantic crackling noise.
"One of the trees has been struck," Mr. Murry said.
"All Heaven and its power," Charles Wallace repeated.
The old woman's voice took up the words. "And the sun with its brightness..."
Dennys struck a match and lit the candles. At first the flames flickered and guttered wildly, but then steadied an burned straight and bright.
"And the snow with its whiteness,
And the fire with all the strength it hath,
And the lightning with its rapid wrath..."
Meg waited for the lightning to flash again, for the house itself to be struck. Instead, the power came back on as abruptly as it had gone off. The furnace began to hum. The room was filled with light and warmth.
"...And the sea with its deepness,
And the rocks with their steepness,
And the earth with its starkness,
All these I place
By God's almighty help and grace
Between myself and the powers of darkness."
Charles Wallace lifted the curtains away from one corner of the window. "The rain's turned to snow. The ground's all white and beautiful."
When I was nine, a book touched my life and left a lasting impression on me. For years after, I watched for Gaudior as I rode in the car past darkened woods, and I wondered about the downtrodden people I encountered, imagining their lives in a "once upon a time". I watched for the hope and wonder that I knew existed in this often frightening and stressful world. And I still do.
Rest in peace, Madeleine L'Engle. Thank you for all your words, and for showing me what grace and faith really mean.
"Not a song," Mrs. O'Keefe contradicted. "A rune. Patrick's rune. To hold up against danger. In this fateful hour I place all Heaven and its power-"
Without warning, the lights went out. A gust of wind dashed across the table, blowing out the candles. The humming of the refrigerator ceased. There was no purring from the furnace in the cellar. A cold dampness clutched the room, filling their nostrils with the stench of decay. The flames in the fireplace dwindled.
"Say it, Mom," Charles Wallace called. "Say it all!"
Mrs. O'Keefe's voice was weak. "I forget-"
The lightning outside was so brilliant that light penetrated the closed curtains. A tremendous crash of thunder followed immediately.
"I'll say it with you." Charles Wallace's voice was urgent. "But you'll have to help me. Come on. In this fateful hour I place Heaven and all its power..."
Lightning and thunder were almost simultaneous. Then they heard a gigantic crackling noise.
"One of the trees has been struck," Mr. Murry said.
"All Heaven and its power," Charles Wallace repeated.
The old woman's voice took up the words. "And the sun with its brightness..."
Dennys struck a match and lit the candles. At first the flames flickered and guttered wildly, but then steadied an burned straight and bright.
"And the snow with its whiteness,
And the fire with all the strength it hath,
And the lightning with its rapid wrath..."
Meg waited for the lightning to flash again, for the house itself to be struck. Instead, the power came back on as abruptly as it had gone off. The furnace began to hum. The room was filled with light and warmth.
"...And the sea with its deepness,
And the rocks with their steepness,
And the earth with its starkness,
All these I place
By God's almighty help and grace
Between myself and the powers of darkness."
Charles Wallace lifted the curtains away from one corner of the window. "The rain's turned to snow. The ground's all white and beautiful."
When I was nine, a book touched my life and left a lasting impression on me. For years after, I watched for Gaudior as I rode in the car past darkened woods, and I wondered about the downtrodden people I encountered, imagining their lives in a "once upon a time". I watched for the hope and wonder that I knew existed in this often frightening and stressful world. And I still do.
Rest in peace, Madeleine L'Engle. Thank you for all your words, and for showing me what grace and faith really mean.