Dear Friends of Deborah's Tree,
Liz Kufs and I have now completed a full year of Excerpted Inspirations. I've chosen the quotes and Liz has formatted them and added the artwork, most of which is her original creation and photography. I have contributed a few of my own art pieces, and Page Morahan has made her extensive archive of photos from around the world available to us. I hope you've found as much joy in following the blog as I have in bringing it to you.
This project has given me a great platform for sharing parts of my favorite fictional and factual stories. I've especially taken delight in going back in time to favorite books of mine that may be forgotten now, and reviving interest in them. (Fortunately I have amassed an extensive personal library, and I often say to myself, "I knew I had a reason for holding onto this book!") I find myself especially drawn to evocations of spiritual presence and contact with the Divine, in ways that transcend overt morality and doctrine. The characters unpack their experiences in ways they find meaningful, and the readers of the excerpts are invited to do the same. Sometimes the simplest connections with nature and other people send tender messages of joy from the spiritual world. Sometimes pondering the simplest questions helps us delve more deeply into our relationship to the Divine.
This past year, I've drawn on female authors only. For the upcoming year, I plan to include some excerpts from male authors too, especially George MacDonald, who introduced powerful female characters and feminine archetypes into his stories. We're also introducing an occasional feature called "Down Memory Lane," with passages from past and present Swedenborgian women's published work. We've already heard from Helen Keller, and there are many others.
Thanks to all of you for joining us on this journey.
Love,
Linda Simonetti Odhner
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