Notes from Jan

Fault Lines

April 30, 2020

 

The clock tells me it’s morning, still the small lamp in the living room flickers off, then on, as if the auto-sensor can’t decide.  I know the feeling.  Oddly, a Sven and Ole joke pops into my head.  Sven  was having a problem with his directional signal, so he asked Ole to go behind the car  to see if it was working. He started the engine, engaged the left turn signal, then shouted, “Ole, is it vorking?”

Ole replied,”Yes. No. Yes. No.”

So, back to morning at the perch. It yawns, stretches its light to reveal marsh, sea and a few beach walkers exercising more than rights. However, if you lower your sights, you’ll notice fault lines gouged into the rocky ledge, just outside my window. They’re scars left behind after explosives dug spaces into which to plant condos. My Perch rests between a rock and a hard place. Really.  Until recently, I never gave much thought to earth’s scars, just mine and a predictable circle of family and friends.  The pandemic’s broadened my  care.

To a lesser degree, prolonged sheltering in place  contributed to other changes.  For example, I’ve stopped wearing a watch, filling in calendars and getting haircuts.  As Sire supposedly said when asked about the weather, “It doesn’t matter.  You aren’t going anywhere.”

Since I’m not going anywhere soon, I travel  through books.  I love a good mystery and Louise Penny delivers. Yesterday, I reluctantly finished Penny’s, A Great Reckoning.   Lines like these bid me travel from the cracks in rocks outside my window to fault lines within me.

“Things are strongest where they’re broken,” said Commander Gamache.”

“We are a crowd of faults.  But know this, there is always a road back.  If we have the courage to look for it and take it. I’m sorry. I was wrong.  I don’t know.  I need help. Those are the signposts.”

In another book Jeremiah wrote, “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls…”(Jeremiah 6:16a, NIV)

Yes or no?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This story has been viewed 48 times

3 people HEART this story

12 Comments

  • Reply Marty Lefever April 30, 2020 at 12:18 pm

    YES!!! Love Louise Penny and have not read A Great Reckoning! Will order today! Thanks, dear friend!

  • Reply Karen Langlais April 30, 2020 at 1:06 pm

    Yes! Love Louise Penny. And I love your blogs, Jan, forwarding them often to friends and family.

    • Reply Jan Carlberg April 30, 2020 at 3:01 pm

      Thanks, for reading and sharing, Karen. Penny is one of my favorite authors.

  • Reply Mary Lou Day April 30, 2020 at 2:12 pm

    Love reading your blogs Jan – its like you are right in the room sharing! Thank you

    • Reply Jan Carlberg April 30, 2020 at 3:02 pm

      Thanks, Mary Lou. I so appreciated Paul’s reflections on Easter.

  • Reply Nancy Mering April 30, 2020 at 6:17 pm

    I’m also in the large crowd of Louise Penny fans, so it’s fun to see our friend Armand Gamache appear here. Jeremiah’s okay, too . . .

  • Reply Vera April 30, 2020 at 10:50 pm

    Yes. Thank you for the verse. Parenting older children …not always easy. Looking, asking , where the good way is? Hearing your Mama in my mind saying something like “We can’t all have Dr Dobson for a husband/father. Alas, our children will grow and leave and one day have peace knowing God provided as he saw best… even if not a parent named Dr. Dobson.
    Enjoy your sea view on these rainy days at home.
    Love, Vera
    Gordon Grad 1983

    • Reply Jan Carlberg May 1, 2020 at 2:57 pm

      Thank you for reading and responding, Vera. Always appreciate hearing from a Gordon alum.

  • Reply RUSS BISHOP May 1, 2020 at 11:58 am

    …and the old exchange, “Do you have trouble making up your mind?” “Well yes and no”.

    More condos down there? Enough already.

  • Share Your Thoughts

    %d bloggers like this: