“I am a frayed and nibbled survivor in a fallen world, and I am getting along. I am aging and eaten and have done my share of eating too. I am not washed and beautiful, in control of a shining world in which everything fits, but instead am wandering awed about on a splintered wreck I’ve come to care for, whose gnawed trees breathe a delicate air, whose bloodied and scarred creatures are my dearest companions, and whose beauty beats and shines not in its imperfections but overwhelmingly in spite of them, under the wind-rent clouds, upstream and down.” ~ Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
4 thoughts on ““I am a frayed and nibbled survivor in a fallen world, …”
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Words for the Year 
Each and every sentence. WOW. She’s on my list to read next…right after I finish Anne L. 🙂
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WOW is right. Annie is such a beautiful writer. Reading her work is like meditation for the brain. “Pilgrim” is gorgeous; and like Anne L, she has a book on writing as a craft–not a how-to, but just more of her thoughts about writing–called “The Writing Life.” You won’t go wrong with either one.
Oh and add Marilynne Robinson to your list. Gilead. Another “beautiful writer.”
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That’s one hell of a single sentence!
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Yes sir, it is! I thought she paired well with the Maya tribute, though I can’t say I planned it that way. Both Annie’s and Maya’s words lift, inspire and teach.
(Speaking of which…I loved your guest post on BBB and hope to comment and reblog it on RoS this week. Good good stuff.)
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