Wednesday, April 21, 2010

The greater the subtletly, the greater the sacrifice

This week I spent camping at a friend's house, who happens to live atop Lookout Mountain. It's amazing to me how even though I am basically homeless, I always end up living like a millionaire. Or at least someone with million-dollar views. I've been trusting a lot to synchronicity lately. An auction is coming up in Dade County, Georgia, and I've been assiduously researching property so I can make an informed decision, an informed bid. Maybe I'll actually end up with something.

It's one of those moments where I have to have faith. "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed," Jesus says, "you can ask this mountain to uproot itself and throw itself into the sea, and it will be done." Do I believe that? Do you?

Maybe I can have enough faith to simply believe that God will guide me to the right piece of property.

This week I was reminded of one of my favorite literary legends. I don't even want to Wiki it, for fear it will turn out to be a lie. The myth is that Robert Lowell, he of "Skunk Hour," showed up at William Faulkner's door, unheralded and unannounced. Faulkner I imagine as wavering, perpetually half-drunk in the doorway with a bourbon on the rocks, and said, "Well, I guess you can camp in the back yard..." And of course Lowell ended up staying for months, much to the dismay of Faulkner's wife.

I feel like Lowell, at least this week. I've also been loitering in the backyard of a writer friend, but maybe that's just what artists need to do sometimes. Find people to apprentice to, even if it can make one feel awkward and annoying.

2 comments:

Ellen D. said...

Roger can be a resource on Dade County--the Sand Mtn end. Great farmland there. He grew up there on Sand Mtn. and his parents have lived there 47 years (and just over the line in AL before that). Too, I work in Dade Co.

Melissa Jenks said...

Sand Mountain is appealing--there are a couple of great spots there, some of which are coming up at the auction. Where did he grow up on Sand Mountain?