The world is dark, and light is precious.
Kate DiCamillo, The Tale of Despereaux
For all of us, there are life seasons that feel bright and effortless. We move through our days with sun-kissed hearts, alive and alert to life and to God’s goodness. Other seasons, plagued by pain and loss and doubt, feel darker. These seasons require us to fight the urge to hide under the covers of our circumstances and to instead rearrange the furniture of our hearts and shove it toward the light. We are compelled to unravel God’s goodness and promise, like strands of twinkle lights, and drop them into the dark rooms of our soul. It is there, clouded by the world’s darkness, we remember the gift of light is most precious and, above all, good.
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The children and I have recently finished reading The Magician’s Nephew, by C.S. Lewis, and The Tale of Desperaux, by Kate DiCamillo. The simplicity and poignancy of both stories concerning themes of light and dark, grief and hope, courage and goodness are remarkable. They have been a source of encouragement to me in a new way this season as I work out a deeper level of belief in my own heart, but they have also been a sweet and concrete way to discuss the more difficult matters of the heart with our children. I highly recommend both, and I especially recommend listening to Desperaux on audiobook. The reader is phenomenal. Also, you should be able to find all of these at your local library.
Comments
First, I love your blog. Especially your last couple of posts. I feel as though we are kindred spirits. It’s also especially wonderful to find a great blogger who is practically a neighbor (I live right up the road in a Georgetown). Life is so precious and when we begin to find the magical work that darkness stirs in the soul, it creates an ability for the light to glisten like never before. My husband and I just started reading The Magician’s Nephew to my daughter this week. We are all enthralled so far. I will have to check out The Tale of Despereaux soon!
Thank you, Nicole. I’m sure you will enjoy the story and lessons in the Magician’s Nephew just as much or more than your daughter. It’s such a rich read and every bit worth the while. xo
We loved Desperaux and I cried (several times) as I read it aloud because of the poignant light and dark imagery. We are now in Book 3 of Andrew Peterson’s Wingfeather Saga. Have you read it?
I cried in parts, too (same with the Magician’s Nephew)! I couldn’t believe how powerful and rich her words were and wrote several lines down, savoring her imagery–like when she describes Chiaroscuro’s broken heart coming together again but in the wrong way, like a crooked seam in a sweater. So good. And her characters were so complex and endearing, even the villain.
Liam has read the first of Andrew Peterson’s book, but I haven’t read any of them. Are they good read-alouds? Maybe we’ll start them after we finish the Narnia series again. (I’ve never read them with my girls.)
xo
Jodey and the kids listened to the first two audio books during the long school commute. We are reading the third aloud. They are similar, thematically, to Narnia, but a little scarier and suspenseful. We laugh that we wouldn’t have read them to the first kid when she was five, but the third at five seems to be unbothered by the imagery.
That’s so helpful, Patti. Thank you! xo
We read that this summer and I was blown away by the truth and poignancy of its writing- on of my favorite reads!
http://www.hollandsreverie.blogspot.com
I had only ever seen the movie, but the book, I would flip back to passages and read them over and over. Such beautifully layered themes and writing.
thank you so much bethany for sharing your thoughts. i truly feel encouraged and blessed.love, esther
Esther, I’m grateful to share with you here, to encourage and to bless. I’m always so appreciate of your gentle, sincere encouragements. x