Appalachian Storytellers

Last Saturday, I went to breakfast at the Farmer's Daughter with five friends - storytellers all. Located between Jonesborough and Greeneville on HWY-107, it's a big, family-style restaurant serving excellent, country food. I knew about it and even thought of going a couple of times, but they don't take reservations and one look at the wrap-around lines was enough to send me elsewhere. Breakfast, however, was another matter.

It was a snowy day - is there anything else in East Tennessee right now? and very cold, but we piled into Valerie's nice little Subaru wagon and took off on our adventure. What we got was delicious food in a rather plain dining room. Crockery, flatware and real mugs warmed the heart, and when our staffer filled out cups with rich, dark coffee, things started warming up. You can't get that many storytellers in one place and not have a bit of entertainment...

We were a varied lot: me from north Florida and now east Tennessee; Valerie from Nashville, Kenny from Texas, Marjorie from Michigan, Teresa from California, Mary from Oregon - all as different as can be, but united in our curiosity and love of story.

Now, the food: eggs cooked your way, grits, hashbrowns, bacon, sausage, ham, sausage gravy, fried apples and apple butter, biscuits and pancakes. Finished, we staggered over to the Mountain View store to shop for Amish cheese and bakery goods and kept the good times going for quite a while. I noticed, however, that on the return trip we were very quiet...

Death in Arizona

Life is so raw now. Perhaps it always has been, but being snowed in for a week, plus having a nasty sinus infection has left me at the mercy of the news. I no longer watch TV, but NPR is my constant companion, giving me what I feel is a more level-headed view of the world than some of the networks. This week, however, I have heard numerous comments about a troubled young man named Jared who managed to gun down an awful lot of people in Arizona, killing some, injuring others and frightening all. That he aimed at a congresswoman who has managed to survive is amazing; that he killed an innocent 9-year-old child interested in serving her country saddens me almost more than any of the other losses.

Right now, I am listening to the soothing voice of President Obama addressing a memorial service. He and his wife are there to help heal the deep cuts produced by hatred. I pray for his success.

Why must we make it so easy to own guns? Why are we so afraid? Must we, too, own a gun so we can finish off those who come after us? Will that make it right? I doubt it. At least when nature kills it seems to be mindless; there's nothing mindless about the murders we have seen in the last few years. Surely love for one another and the love of the Creator should lead us away from violence, open us to greater generosity and bring true peace. Maybe that's not in the works for human beings.