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A review by rkw25
On the Brink of Everything by Parker J. Palmer
4.0
In my first graduate program when I was doing a project on Thomas Merton, my Vanderbilt professor suggested I get in touch with Parker Palmer who had done work on Merton. Palmer was very kind and wrote back a lovely letter. Since then, I have found many of his own writings helpful in life. "On the Brink of Everything" did not disappoint--essays, poetry (his own and others), and some references to Carrie Newcomer songs (they have collaborated for several years).
Some quotes to make note of:
"I no longer ask 'What do I want to let go of, and what do I want to hang on to?' Instead I ask 'What do I want to let go of, and what do I want to give myself to?'" (27)
"This is all I know for sure: I have no bad memories of wherever I came from when I arrived on this planet, so I have no good reason to fear where I'm going when I take my leave" (28).
"The only way to become whole is to put our arms lovingly around everything we know ourselves to be: self-serving and generous, spiteful and compassionate, cowardly and courageous, treacherous and trustworthy" (174). Three other things: "reach out to the younger generation . . . to learn from them, gain energy from them, and support them on their way; move toward what you fear, not away from it; spend as much time as you can in the natural world" (176).
Some quotes to make note of:
"I no longer ask 'What do I want to let go of, and what do I want to hang on to?' Instead I ask 'What do I want to let go of, and what do I want to give myself to?'" (27)
"This is all I know for sure: I have no bad memories of wherever I came from when I arrived on this planet, so I have no good reason to fear where I'm going when I take my leave" (28).
"The only way to become whole is to put our arms lovingly around everything we know ourselves to be: self-serving and generous, spiteful and compassionate, cowardly and courageous, treacherous and trustworthy" (174). Three other things: "reach out to the younger generation . . . to learn from them, gain energy from them, and support them on their way; move toward what you fear, not away from it; spend as much time as you can in the natural world" (176).