Liz's Letters

I have been enticed by reading notes on an Internet book club over on the High Calling Blog's and hosted by by blogger friend, Laura . The book in discussion is The Wisdom Of The Wilderness by Gerald May and I have had some quick catching up to do, since I decided to join in two weeks after the discussion began. Before I started reading, I had been pondering...wondering, "Would it be possible at this time in my life for me to just get away for a weekend, even a day, alone? To think, to listen, to reflect?" I had considered a motel overnight and hesitated, thinking my family would think I was nuts, or depressed. Then I discovered my mother had spent the day at a former monastery, now a place called the Forest of Peace and I became even more intrigued by the idea. Now, reading this book, May's words capture my calling with uncanny similarity to my thoughts and yearning. The end of Chapter One (The Call) May says this about his decision to spend time - alone - at a camp...

The Gift Chapter 2 The Bones of the Dead The chapter title has held me for days...The Bones of the Dead. In chapter 2, Hyde refers to the bones of a salmon being returned to the sea, after making full circle, in order to revive and return to human form so that next year, the salmon could repeat a gift giving process again. The American Indian tribes that live with this mythology call this a potlatch. (this is just the beginning of what we learn about potlatch!) The gift that the salmon's provide is the tribes primary substance - food for the winter. The Bones of the Dead. of course. Potlatches and coppers are a main part of this chapter. Potlatches, the gift giving celebration, and copper; the item used in the gift exchange - the value, if you will. The copper is given, and a gift is returned, in the example, blankets. The recipient of the copper expresses his gen...

On Mondays, over at High Callings Blog , there is a book study going on. The selected reading is The Gift by Lewis Hyde. "... The Gift is a brilliant defense of the value of creativity and its importance in a culture increasingly governed by money and overrun with commodities..." (back cover) Reading that, I was captured into curiosity that could only be satisfied by reading the book. I do not consider myself an artist, but one who believes strongly that we all have something to contribute and if we can do it with artful creativity, well...what a gift! I did read the introduction, and like Sam , made a few notes as tried to absorb all that was said. My first note, "I think I am in over my head!" However, I pursued as the words drew me in and I began to look at gift exchanges with new eyes, although blurry. Art as a gift? Hmmm, yes, I can wrestle with that thought and it make some sense. But how about the authors thought, "a gift that cannot be given awa...