Gathered Notes
October
Welcome to the October edition of Gathered Notes, a monthly collection of art, poetry, book, movie, and music recommendations that have brought beauty into my life this past month.
Art: Julie Manet, Pierre Auguste Renoir, 1887
Poetry:
The Second Coming by William Butler Yeats
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
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Watching, Listening, Reading
Summary: In 1950s London, a widowed cleaning lady falls madly in love with a couture Dior dress, deciding she must have one of her own. After working to raise the funds to pursue her dream, she embarks on an adventure to Paris that will change not only her own outlook -- but the very future of the House of Dior.
My review: This is a beautiful story about an “ordinary” woman pursuing her dreams. It was a movie that reminded me that there really are no ordinary people. Every person is a miracle, loved and created by God. The setting and the wardrobe were gorgeous. It was heartwarming, and I highly recommend it!
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Listening:
According to my Spotify weekly playlist, I’ve been listening to a lot of river sounds, some ambient noise, and some classical music every once in a while. That’s because this is what I play when I’m reading or writing--and I’ve been doing a lot of that, as I work towards a creative writing degree. I’m six weeks in, and I’m loving it so far.
Reading: Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art, by Madeleine L’Engle
Summary: (back cover) In this classic book, Madeleine L'Engle addresses the questions, What does it mean to be a Christian artist? and What is the relationship between faith and art? Through L'Engle's beautiful and insightful essay, readers will find themselves called to what the author views as the prime tasks of an artist: to listen, to remain aware, and to respond to creation through one's own art.
My review: I can already tell that this will be a book I’ll return to again and again throughout my life. It’s rich with wisdom, and she expresses so beautifully what it means to be an artist who loves God.
Quote of the Day:
“Stories are able to help us to become more whole, to become Named. And Naming is one of the impulses behind all art; to give a name to the cosmos, we see despite all the chaos.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art
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Writing life: Beyond school, which, lately, has been all about life writing, book writing is on hiatus. I’ll start looking at my current work-in-progress (a contemporary romance) in another week or so, and begin working on revisions. I’ve been reading early-release copies of the Apron Strings series (coming next year) I’m collaborating on. So far, I’ve read Polly (January ‘24) and Nellie (February ‘24), and they are both so much fun! Those two books are already available for pre-order on Kindle. Later, they will also be available in paperback.
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May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you; may he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm; may he bring you home rejoicing: at the wonders he has shown you: may he bring you home rejoicing: once again into our doors.