by Mauverneen
"Be joyful / though you have considered all the facts." Wendell Berry
I came across this line the other day - I don't remember where - but it intrigued me and I immediately thought 'Yes! The perfect thought for today's world.' And a good line to remember when things begin to pile up. We all have those seasons of comfort, when life is smooth and everything is hunky-dory, as my mom used to say, and then we have those seasons of grief and pain, when NOTHING goes right and everything hurts.
"Be joyful / though you have considered all the facts." It doesn't mean to ignore the facts, to pretend the bad things aren't there, it means to keep a brave face, to try to look beyond the current discomfort, to try to keep a positive outlook. Some days, I'll admit, it's harder than others but it helps to have someone in your corner whispering encouragement in your ear. "Be joyful / though you have considered all the facts."
Wendell Berry is an American novelist, poet, essayist, environmental activist, cultural critic, and farmer and may just be my new hero. He is the author of several books, which are now all on my to-read list. In fact, I may have to stop at the library on my way to the dentist for my two root canals. I know something to read will get me through the aftermath of watching my bank account balance go down and that the pain in my jaw is for my eventual good, and thank goodness the weather has cooled off since I have to live on soup for a few days.
Those are the facts. But see? I'm practicing the joyful part.
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