Quotable Lamott

A cross-post from Divinest Sense, because it's relevant to the 50 Books (and that good). Skip if it looks familiar. :)

***

"Can you imagine the hopelessness of trying to live a spiritual life when you're secretly looking up at the skies not for illumination or direction but to gauge, miserably, the odds of rain? Can you imagine how discouraging it was for me to live in fear of weather, of drizzle or downpour? Because Christianity is about water: 'Everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters.' It's about baptism, for God's sake. It's about full immersion, about falling into something elemental and wet. Most of what we do in worldly life is geared toward our staying dry, looking good, not going under. But in baptism, in lakes and rain and tanks and fonts, you agree to do something that's a little sloppy because at the same time it's so holy, and absurd. It's about surrender, giving in to all those things we can't control; it's a willingness to let go of balance and decorum and get drenched.

There's something so tender about this to me, about being willing to have your makeup wash off, your eyes tear up, your nose start to run. It's tender partly because it harkens back to infancy, to your mother washing your face with love and lots of water, tending to you, making you clean all over again..."

~ Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott

***

In the midst of my first encounter with Ms. Lamott. Weirdly enough, the essay was originally about her dreadlocks. Yay stream-of-consciousness.

Wasn't sure what I'd make of her, but with only a few essays left it's official... I <3 this book. The End. (more proper thoughts after I finish it... which will probably happen tonight)