CxD #96
Death of a Friend; Winning at Losing; Invitation; Raising Hell
My friend Robyn, one of CxD’s most engaged readers and supporters died unexpectedly this past week. Only a few days ago, she wrote me an email about how much she enjoyed CxD, how she had gifted her sister a subscription, how much she enjoyed my liturgical leadership––the first and probably last time anyone on planet earth will say such a thing!––and on Sunday morning called me “Darlin,’” because she said, “I’m from New Orleans.”
I’ve done my best to just be with Robyn’s non-apologetic reminder of how swiftly time passes by and with it our only chance.
I now wonder what it feels like to have the great mystery solved.
I wonder if I’m living my life to its fullest.
I wonder what you, living your life in its most vibrant unabashed vision, would look like if you did.May your being feel at home wherever, whatever, however you are. Goodbye, Robyn, goodbye sweet voice.
Speaking of Life while we still have it, which one of these two matches your Character more? Is there such a thing as winning at Life? Is there such at thing as losing? If not, what are we doing here?
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4. If you’re in the market for a documentary about someone who was full of all kinds of flaws but nonetheless seemed to live from a place of freedom and moral clarity, go learn about one of Texas’s most Mischievously Fearless Characters of All-Time. “There are plenty of great things to say about director Janice Engel’s portrait of the late, legendary Ivins, but maybe the best is that after watching Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins, you'll immediately want to go back and re-read all her books.
It’s a rare documentary indeed that so expertly captures the singular essence of its subject, and Ivins, the former Texas Observer editor, nationally syndicated columnist, and seriously humorous (and vice versa) thorn in the side of not only the Texas Legislature and the powers that be, is restored to vivid and vital life, if not in the flesh than in the mind and spirit. If only she were around today – alongside Bill Hicks, maybe – we’d all sleep a little better at night in the uneasy times.” Source
“Somewhere there is another Molly Ivins, for the sake of sanity, let’s find her”. And You are right: “we’d all sleep a little better if she were around today”.
Sorry for loosing your friend Robin, I am not from New Orleans but let me say “Darling, I enjoy your writing I always did, you have showed me a new ways to look at the world and myself, “Yes!”