by Melissa Borgmann-Kiemde, Visitation Companion
A former student sent me the following words. I find such balm in them and in this young woman’s thoughtfulness. I am deeply moved by the author Louise Erdich’s ability to inspire and capture our heart’s compelling nature to love beyond fear, death, suffering, betrayal, woe. I invite your prayerful meditation on this text this day. Perhaps these words will speak to you and your own place in life and discernment?
“Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won’t either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on Earth. You are here to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near… Let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself you tasted as many as you could.” – Louise Erdich, “The Painted Drum LP”
4 Comments
Sr. Katherine · September 30, 2012 at 5:40 pm
It is 5PM on Sunday, Sept 30 and I am going for a prayer walk with you thoughts, Melissa and the quote from Erdich. They are so rich, and I want to do Examen, to see who/what I loved today, what I really felt thoughout this day and give as much praise as an apple tree gives apples! SK2
Melissa · September 30, 2012 at 8:17 pm
Love it, SK2! Prayer walks. Apples. The Examen. Love you!
nereids · October 1, 2012 at 6:03 am
A message so relevant. It’s a blessing to b at that point
Returning to the Blog... | Visitation Monastery of Minneapolis · October 1, 2012 at 1:36 pm
[…] Melissa Borgmann-Kiemde, Visitation Companion “You have to love….It is the reason you are here on Earth.” –Louise Erdich, The Painted Drum […]