D and I scoured the library shelves free of good books on CD for the trip. We came away with enough books to keep us busy for the rest of the year. We're like that. But we did manage to get all the way through one: The Map That Changed the World. It's a fantastic little natural history book about the man--the prosaically named William Smith--who put together the first map of the geology of Britain and relied on the fossil record to do so. That is, he broke away from the church and its divine interpretations of what these strange rocks might mean. Winchester, the author, spends a bit of time openly mocking the 18th century (and older) worldview of a young earth created by fiat and all the intellectual gymnastics that must take place to justify that view. Which, as you regular reader might remember, is exactly the worldview, and gymnastics, of my family.
At a stoplight in Asheville, I turned to D and said, "Wow. No wonder I feel behind. I've had to cover two hundred fifty years of intellectual advancement with no help or support at all from my family." But now I have all of you.
24 JUne 2007 (even tide)
A study of Sun Rays (Crespuscular)
Running to find the end of the rainbow.
Running to find that shaft glory--to be bathed in light.
Bearing the soul to the divine.
Seeking rest, surcease and cleansing all at once.
Faith like a waterfall--full, abundant and never ceasing.
28 June 2007
The tumbled majesty of evening clouds.
At dusk the remaining cumulus lurk on the horizon.
Tall, muscular clouds like ponderous ships plying the twilight.
Whistiling past a thunder storm.
Posted by: Poetry | June 28, 2007 at 07:10 AM