Madeleine L'Engle

In 1998 I went to hear Madeleine L'Engle speak on the topic "Garbage and Grace: the Ecosystem of the Soul". She spoke for an hour in the morning about how we chose what, of all our experiences, possessions, relationships, thoughts, and ideas we chose to "throw away" or release from our lives. We broke for lunch and then she spoke for another hour about what we ought to "learn to keep". She was brilliant. I wish I had taken written notes so I could share her original wisdom with you here, but what really stands out in my memory is the intensity with which she impressed on us the eternal impact of those choices.

We stood in line for an hour afterward to get her to sign our books. Later I realized that I should have bought new copies of A Wrinkle in Time and A Wind in the Door for her to sign, instead of the old paperbacks I brought. Sigh. They are two of very few author-signed books that I own. She was one of my favorites and I read those books (and her others) over and over growing up. She past away at the age of 88 last Friday. I look forward to meeting her on the other side.

More to read on Madeleine L'Engle:

• NYTimes obit
• The Hartford Courant
• New York Magazine's Vulture blog
• John Podhoretz at The Corner (part of The National Review)

Thanks to ChickenSpaghetti for these great links.