Saturday, September 29, 2007

Poets, Saints, and Foxes

So I'm getting to the Friday Five on Saturday; I didn't want to miss it because it's a really good one:

On Endings and Goodbyes:

1. Best ending of a movie/book/TV show:

"Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it -- every, every minute?" asks Emily at the end of Thornton Wilder's Our Town. "Saints and poets, maybe," responds the narrator.

2. Worst ending of a movie/book/TV show:

The 1940 movie made of Our Town in which the ending was changed to bring Emily back to life in a sort of Dorothy-wakes-up-after-the tornado motif.

3. Tell about a memorable goodbye you've experienced.


4. Is it true that "all good things must come to an end."

In the sense that all things change, yes.

5. "Everything I ever let go of has claw marks on it." --Anne Lamott. Discuss.

Oh yeah, this is me. Anne Lamott's metaphor is so perfect that there is almost nothing else to say. I recently found, in the context of a particularly difficult letting go (that I have not, actually, accomplished and don't, actually, plan on accomplishing) that there is a graceful way to do it, as explained by the Fox when the Little Prince departs his planet. I do try to focus on the color of the wheat fields. But it is very hard.

8 comments:

Cynthia said...

You know, it's hard to top Casablanca's ending but Wilder did it, didn't he? I forget how absolutely wonderful that play is. And you quoted The Little Prince! I adore that book.

Anonymous said...

It has been a long time since I read "The Little Prince". Change is the only sure thing but it is difficult to embrace. I'm still working on acceptance.

Jan said...

GG, thanks for the sweet goodby story about your stepmother. Little Prince was a favorite that I've also forgotten.

AND a new picture--what's this one of? I got attached to the puffins.

Gannet Girl said...

Glasgow Cathedral. I was ready for a change.

Law+Gospel said...

I loved Glasgow. And I hope all is well with you. Coming up out of my foxhole created by two quizzes and two presentations, a football game and teaching parish. I too had forgotten the Little Prince. And from your earlier post, I will keep you in my prayers as we approach the end of a character and a reminder of your own life's experience. Peace and blessings to you.

Terri said...

I'm sure your stepmother heard you...so gracious of you to be there for her in that way. I always say that being present with the dying is standing on sacred ground...because we are literally standing on the threshold between this life and the next.

Thank you once again for sharing something so beautiful

Lori said...

I'm just as sure your stepmom heard you that I am my dad heard me as I sat with him.

Forgot about "Our Town". That was a splended ending for sure.

Diane M. Roth said...

thanks for the reminder of the little prince and yes, I had forgotten about Wilder's ending... about poets and saints.