Art and the Creator...

As I sit and listen to the silence, I learn that my feelings about art and my feelings about the Creator of the Universe are inseparable. To try to talk about art and about Christianity is for me one and the same thing, and it means attempting to share the meaning of my life, what gives it, for me, its tragedy and its glory. It is what makes me respond to the death of an apple tree, the birth of a puppy, northern lights shaking the sky, by writing stories.

--Madeleine L’engle, Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art, p. 16

Tricia’s Thoughts:

The greatest day of my writing journey came when I received a note from a WWII veteran concerning my novel, From Dust and Ashes. “I enjoyed the book,” he said. “Your research was amazing, I felt like I was back there again.” He then proceeded to make a list of a dozen things I’d gotten right. Finally he concluded, “Now . . . can you tell me more about this faith thing you also shared in the book?”

I still tear up when I tell anyone that story. That one comment is what makes writing worth it. But there is one thing the WWII veteran didn’t realize. I didn’t add the faith element in order to share a deeper story. Rather, I added the story in order to share the meaning of life as I see it.