"[The] thing that has the capacity to make
storytelling glorious is love. Just as great teaching is loving a subject in
the presence of students who are also loved, so it is with story. A man who
loves the story he is telling, and loves the people he is telling it to, is a
formidable bard. Something mysterious happens when story-grip sets in. One man
writes a disheveled story, breaks numerous rules, and gets away with it.
Another writes a story with every hair in place, prim hands folded on the lap,
and it stinks. Then someone else writes a textbook example of doing everything
right, and it works anyway.
Failures of story-telling are at some level a failure to love. Successes in
story-telling are examples of love triumphing."
Douglas Wilson, “Love Story,” March 8, 2010 (www.credenda.org/index.php/From-the-Vaults/love-story.html)
I am going to have to borrow this quote. Thank you. You are a scientist--you imagine, collect, examine, explore, discover, experiment, test...everything except draw conclusions. Who would have guessed? Of course you're also a writer and poet and musician and artist--but a scientist--I never saw that coming.
ReplyDeleteThe embedded definition of great teaching has been haunting me ever since I read it--"loving a subject in the presence of students who are also loved." It makes me almost want to teach again.
ReplyDeleteA scientist?
Alas, Nancy, methinks the current 'teach-to-the-test' public education movement means truly inspirational teachers to be will be teaching in private schools. I mourn the loss of good public schools more than I can say.
ReplyDeleteYes, I understand your concern. My son-in-law and daughter are public school teachers with high ideals and standards, but it is a constant battle for them. And the major conflicts are with the system. How sad.
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