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In Our Own Words
Living With Literature/Writing Our Stories
SELECTION EIGHT
In response to "The Necklace," by Guy de Maupassant
“Who knows? Who knows? How life is strange and powerful!”
One hundred million to one that I’m here. Is that the degree of chance, the odds it took to beat oblivion and the void? “Well, here I am,” asserts the newborn, in anger, in fear and trembling in sleep, dreamy sounds, according to their personal style. How is there such a distinctive voice so early?
Other odds — two daughters, grace, beauty, heart, the core of one, and poetry, beauty, vision, the center of the other. And grandsons — Joey with his “I up high on this,” as he places the top Lego block on his tower.
Massimo with his gurgles and as his Mom notices, over-reactive cries.
The odds of being here today with each and every one of you — what near infinite combination of events and styles and ways of being brought us around this table to write together, to read together, to share our stories of hope and fear, joy and triumph?
by PA