"...the mind's muddy river, this ceaseless flow of trivia and trash, cannot be dammed, and that trying to dam it is a waste of effort that might lead to madness." - Anne Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
A New Hope
We were invited to enter yet feel like intruders. As we begin to explore, our echoing footsteps leave a trail in the dust left behind by months of neglect. Broken panes of glass lay shattered on the floor, glittering in the sun, crunching beneath our feet like dry leaves in autumn.
Silent memories haunt every corner as we wander from room to room trying to imagine what it was like when happiness lived here. A home once abandoned is now embraced. Gathering our tools we begin to rebuild hope, dreaming of the day when laughter returns and reclaims its rightful place among the rafters.
Since its founding in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller, Habitat for Humanity International has built and rehabilitated more than 250,000 houses with families in need, becoming a true world leader in addressing the issues of poverty housing. Click HERE for more information.
Inspired by
Cafe Writing: Option 4Use 3 of the following 8 words:
spring, change, virgin, dalliance, fertile, nature, oil, crank
photo © Alex Gonzalez for openphoto.net
The first day of spring was once the time for taking the young virgins into the fields, there in dalliance to set an example in fertility for nature to follow. Now we just set the clocks an hour ahead and change the oil in the crankcase.– E.B. White
From the virgin earth, early man took that which nature offered new each spring. Worshiping in thankfulness for the fertility of the world around them, they reaped the bountiful harvests provided by the blessings of respect.
But as in all dalliances, the mutuality of their relationship soon soured and changed. Worship became neglect, thankfulness became disregard, and humility became arrogance. What was once reaped in gratitude from that which was generous, is now raped in insolence; our rapaciousness never satisfied.
How long will her resources be renewable? How long until our disdain defeats us?
Earth is no longer a virgin and grows weary of her marriage with man.
It is time we recycled our relationship. It is time we renewed our respect.
The demolition began years ago, but only took moments to destroy a lifetime of construction. Just as a collapsing building implodes upon itself, our relationship dissolved into its foundation leaving only rubble and memories. Bulldozers powered by betrayal helped complete the process, loading trucks full of sorrow, all to be buried in the landfill called regret.
"The fate thou didst so well foresee,
But would not to appease him tell;
And in thy Silence was his Sentence,
And in his Soul a vain repentance,
And evil dread so ill dissembled,
That in his hand the lightnings
trembled."Prometheus, Lord Byron
