I was ravenous for my child and took to gorging myself in the boneyard, hoping that she might possibly meet me halfway, or just beyond, one night, if only for an instant—step back into her own bare feet, onto the wet grass or fallen leaves or snowy ground of the living Enon, so that we could share just one last human word.
Interpretation
The quote expresses a deep longing for connection with a lost child.
In this poignant quote, Paul Harding captures the intense yearning of a parent for their deceased child, illustrating the desire for one final communion in the physical world. The imagery of the 'boneyard' and 'wet grass' evokes the contrast between life and death, highlighting the emotional struggle of grief and the hope for a fleeting moment of reunion.
In practice
This quote would be impactful during a remembrance ceremony for a lost child.
And as the ax bites into the wood, be comforted in the fact that the ache in your heart and the confusion in your soul means that you are still alive, still human, and still open to the beauty of the world, even though you have done nothing to deserve it.
There is my father whispering in my ear, Be still still still. And yet you change everything. What was the marsh like, waiting for the storm before you came and kneeled in the water? It was nothing. Watch after you leave the water, now cold and regretful, miles from home, certain of the belt on your backside, the cold shoulder, the extra chores; watch. Watch the water heal itself of your presence--not to repair injury but to offer itself again should you care to risk another strapping [...].
One of my kids was born in 1968. There were going to be political difficulties, but they were never going to have that level of hatred and contempt that my brothers and my sister and myself were exposed to.
After momma gave birth to 12 of us kids, we put her up on a pedestal. It was mostly to keep Daddy away from her.
My grandfather was a persuasive man who made friends with people at every level of influence. In order to fight against our tribe's termination, he went to newspapers and politicians and urged them to advocate for our tribe in Washington. He also supported his family through the Depression as a truck farmer.
It seems like just yesterday my son was hiding under the table to avoid reading. Now, he's writing books longer than mine!
We are an American family and we rise and fall together as one nation.
Dad is and always will be my living, breathing superhero.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.