A lovely and timely essay; thank you; a serendipitous find on a leisurely Saturday morning. One of my great-grandfathers came from Sweden to the US, in the last quarter of the 19th century, meeting my Ireland-born great-grandmother somewhere along the way. My grandmother, their youngest child, was forever and devoutly fascinated with both countries, and always seemed to be yearning for those two places she had never been.
“that intellectual and artistic rigorousness, unlike edge, can coexist with the kind of softness that I seem to be needing just now.” - This contrast puts me in mind of a cotton plant, or flax, or wheat - the stiff yet pliable stems and stalks and casings cradling the soft to-become-cloth parts. Rigor but not harsh, and intrinsically coexisting.
I think many overlook the life-giving value of softness. Many more underestimate its strength.
A lovely and timely essay; thank you; a serendipitous find on a leisurely Saturday morning. One of my great-grandfathers came from Sweden to the US, in the last quarter of the 19th century, meeting my Ireland-born great-grandmother somewhere along the way. My grandmother, their youngest child, was forever and devoutly fascinated with both countries, and always seemed to be yearning for those two places she had never been.
“that intellectual and artistic rigorousness, unlike edge, can coexist with the kind of softness that I seem to be needing just now.” - This contrast puts me in mind of a cotton plant, or flax, or wheat - the stiff yet pliable stems and stalks and casings cradling the soft to-become-cloth parts. Rigor but not harsh, and intrinsically coexisting.
I think many overlook the life-giving value of softness. Many more underestimate its strength.
Really interesting. Liked it a lot!