The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 5

by Beth Brower

And I think that was the moment I began to suspect that the luck Hawkes spoke of might really only be an awareness, an awareness of grace.

“He said he wished you to be wise, and good, and true to the beatings of your own heart, and hoped that you could be spared the extremes of society, both the very poor and the very rich, so that neither need nor indulgence would spoil the soul he loved more than anything else in the world.”

“No one warns that you can be ripped, joint from bone, simply by staring at a box, simply by holding a bit of earth in your hand.

“It takes a great deal to trust the future after one is acquainted with loss.” “It feels impossible, for longer than is comforting. And then too tentative to trust.” “It does. But it seems that sword pierced Christ so that we always have a future. Even one different than planned.”

“Faith in the abstract is more comfortable,” I said. I heard an amused sound, then, “It is. But I begin to suspect that faith made concrete is more comforting.”