What a wonderful weekend I've had
in Berkeley, my old haunting grounds, with AML, also my old haunting grounds.
I'm grateful the stars aligned to combine so many of my favorite things in one
weekend. I got to share a hotel room with my dear friend Angela Hallstrom, who
has been too much missing from my life since she moved away. I got to spend
many hours in the car with people whose minds and work fascinate me. And then I
was nourished all day long by thoughtful talk about the intersection of art and
faith.
I'd love to go session by
session, as I used to do, and maybe I'll take some time to do that later. But,
for now, here are the thoughts yipping at my heels.
1. I was sitting in a session of
student papers. By "student papers," I mean papers that were
originally written for undergraduate sections of "Scriptures as
Literature" classes at BYU, and tended and coached by the amazing Kylie
Turley (one of the best professors at BYU, I'm convinced). Anyway, sitting
there, learning about another way to see the words "as if" or
"thrust" as used in particular passages, and how that might inform
doctrine, or at least an interesting light in which to interpret, I was
overwhelmed by gratitude that God has given me a mind. THIS is what a mind is
for, I thought. A mind can be used to sing praises to God. I, as someone whose
body is limited in its capacity for exertion, was able to experience the joy of
exertion in a way I imagine my husband experiences it when he is deep in
competitive play with a ball or frisbee or racquet. I'm blessed in that I have
the stamina to follow an essay or argument or story, written or oral, to its
epiphany. I know people who do not, some of whom recognize what they're missing
and mourn, and others who do not and therefore sometimes become unwise in their
decisions, beliefs etc. because they assume they've gotten the gist of subtle
arguments (I'm talking about people susceptible to believing that a soundbite
has informed them on an issue).
Yuck—I'm thinking that might have
just sounded like, "I’m grateful I'm smart! Because some people are
dumb!" I just mean that I'm grateful God has given me access to this
particular joy—that of reasoning.
2. WOW! Eric Jeppson, and James
Goldberg, and Andrew Hall, and William Morris (and I'm so sorry if I'm
forgetting someone) have managed, by sheer will power, to resurrect AML once
again. Simply by making sure the awards, Irreantum, and the conference
happened. Well, I guess it's not that simple. But they cared. And they pulled
it off. I have at several times in my life been sure that AML was over with for
good, and I'm so, so grateful that they have proven me wrong once again.
Congratulations, and well done!
3. Berkeley seemed the perfect
place for this. Let's just do it here every year, OK, Eric? (Which means you
doing all the work, I guess.)
4. There is, of course, still a
need for AML, and still a group of people who are nourished by it, exhilarated,
even, to find each other and to come together and talk. And I remain convinced
that there are more of us than we know but we just have to figure out how to
find each other. How can we get the word out about who we are and what we do?
How can we find our likeminded and thirsty fellows? This is the recurring
question we have struggled with for years, and I don't mind being less
responsible for finding the answer than I used to be. But I still care quite a
bit. Nothing has been as nourishing to me for a long time. Surely there are
ways to share it with others, but I just don't know how. And I'm too old and
tired, I guess, to be a big part of solving this.
5. I've said it before, and I'll
keep saying it forever: there IS such a thing as rigorous, interesting,
challenging art that is actually ART but which takes within it an attitude of
faith. People are creating it. It's worthy. It deserves an audience, and
support (and awards). Taking this more personally, I remind myself again and
again: it is worthy and worthwhile to write for and about Mormons with all my
heart and skill.
Some pictures:
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