Wednesday, March 19, 2008

A continent's majesty


(w/photo of Lilac-breasted roller)
Wednesday

Many blog posts ago I promised to share the quote that caused Kathleen Krueger to dissolve into tears when I handed it to her with a thank-you gift for her and husband. They lived in Africa for much of the ‘90s. Here is the quote that sums it up for me:

“I believe the chief gift from Africa to writers, white and black, is the continent itself, its presence which for some people is like an old fever, latent always in their blood; or like an old wound throbbing in the bones as the air changes. That is not a place to visit unless one chooses to be an exile ever afterwards from an inexplicable majestic silence lying just over the border of memory or of thought. Africa gives you the knowledge that man is a small creature, among other creatures, in a large landscape.”

--Doris Lessing

1 comment:

George said...

Maria,

Guess you heard the Big News that the Cats lost their first game in the NCAA to Marquette? I know Important news like that travels all over the world! Hope to check on you blog more often as Tax Season is over; got your Dad's Efile form in the mail today.
Later,
George

A magical flower

A magical flower
The guide squeezes this flower and it squirts water like a water pistol

Cathy and Joe Wanzala

Cathy and Joe Wanzala
They couldn't wait to paste the Obama sticker on their car

My main man

My main man
Ernest is my trusty cab driver who blasts music as we make our way through Gabs

Ted Thomas, man of intrigue and style

Ted Thomas, man of intrigue and style
My friend, Ted, and his wife, Mary Ann, hosted a Safari Send-Off for me in Austin and treated me to a special mix of African music that already a UB student and a professor want to download.