by Carole Duff | May 19, 2014 | Dogs & Other Creatures, Faith, Family, Writing and Reading |
A friend of mine, who I have known for twenty-five years, came to Vanaprastha this past weekend, giving rise again to thoughts about abiding friendships. In C.S. Lewis’ The Four Loves– family affection, friendship, romance, charity – Lewis states, “…Friendship [is]...
by Carole Duff | May 12, 2014 | Family, Nature, Writing and Reading |
When we were growing up, my father told us the story of the Optimist and the Pessimist – the Maine farm boy version. I can see my father’s tall-drink-of-water frame sitting in the captain’s chair at the head of the dining room table, his large hands taking his...
by Carole Duff | Mar 17, 2014 | Faith, Nature, Writing and Reading |
…quite often people confuse their fictional heroes with God. As they confuse their human lovers. Or themselves. It is a great hindrance to a happy life.– Jane Gardam, Crusoe’s Daughter While reading Adam Gopnik’s review of recent books about atheism – see “Bigger Than...
by Carole Duff | Mar 10, 2014 | Faith, Family, Nature, Writing and Reading |
It occurred to me the other day that I hadn’t explained why my husband and I chose the name Vanaprastha for our mountain house. Traditional Hindus divide life into four stages called Ashrama. The Student (brahmacari): one is chaste and obedient to teachers The...
by Carole Duff | Feb 24, 2014 | Dogs & Other Creatures, Family, Local or Human Interest, Nature |
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without,” my Depression-Era father preached. We didn’t do without much because he picked up all kinds of stuff discarded along the way – screws, bolts, bits of rope, even an old fire hose and the broken-off arm of a...
by Carole Duff | Feb 18, 2014 | Dogs & Other Creatures, Faith, Local or Human Interest, Nature, Writing and Reading |
Making ‘special’ breakfast in the kitchen a few mornings ago, I looked up and saw a lone coyote slowly navigating the deer path in the woods above our house. He – I shall call him ‘he’ for lack of knowledge of the coyote’s gender – was skinny, his grey fur dirty...
