I was ravenous for my child and took to gorging myself in the boneyard, hoping that she might possibly meet me halfway, or just beyond, one night, if only for an instant—step back into her own bare feet, onto the wet grass or fallen leaves or snowy ground of the living Enon, so that we could share just one last human word.
Interpretation
The quote expresses a deep longing for connection with a lost child.
In this poignant quote, Paul Harding captures the intense yearning of a parent for their deceased child, illustrating the desire for one final communion in the physical world. The imagery of the 'boneyard' and 'wet grass' evokes the contrast between life and death, highlighting the emotional struggle of grief and the hope for a fleeting moment of reunion.
In practice
This quote would be impactful during a remembrance ceremony for a lost child.
And as the ax bites into the wood, be comforted in the fact that the ache in your heart and the confusion in your soul means that you are still alive, still human, and still open to the beauty of the world, even though you have done nothing to deserve it.
There is my father whispering in my ear, Be still still still. And yet you change everything. What was the marsh like, waiting for the storm before you came and kneeled in the water? It was nothing. Watch after you leave the water, now cold and regretful, miles from home, certain of the belt on your backside, the cold shoulder, the extra chores; watch. Watch the water heal itself of your presence--not to repair injury but to offer itself again should you care to risk another strapping [...].
I've got two small kids. I want to make sure they grow up to be good people. Do they treat people well? Are they kind?
Tell your kids you love them as much as you possibly can, because you're not promised one second to the next.
If a child is given love, he becomes loving ... If he's helped when he needs help, he becomes helpful. And if he has been truly valued at home ... he grows up secure enough to look beyond himself to the welfare of others.
It's just really making sure I am doing the best job I can do as a dad. I do think that is my No. 1 job.
He will change diapers, of course he will. He is going to be a very hands-on father.
It moves one's heart to think: Nine months before I was born there was a woman who loved me deeply. She did not know what I was going to be like, but she loved me because she carried me in her womb.
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