'A Grief Observed' was the title of a book written by CS Lewis after the death of his wife Helen from cancer. I read it over 15 years ago and remember it as a gutsy honest discourse, tracking the course of his grief and the consequences of his grief on his faith. Below are 2 quotes:
"Oh, God, God, why did you take such trouble to force this creature out of its shell, if it's now doomed to crawl back to be sucked back into it. Where is God? What pitiable cant to say, "She will live forever in my memory." Live! That is exactly what she won't do. What's left? A corpse, a memory, a ghost. Three more ways of spelling the word 'dead'!"
"Talk to me about the truth of religion and I'll listen gladly. Talk to me about the duty of religion and I'll listen submissively. But don't come talking to me about the consolation of religion or I shall suspect that you don't understand. The conclusion is not "So there's no God, after all" but "So this is what God is really like, the Cosmic Sadist. The spiteful imbecile?"
CS Lewis wrote that? I have a whole new perspective on him. One I like a lot more. I've always been a fan of the Narnia books, but good and bad are perhaps too clear and too simple in them. This, though, is real.
ReplyDeleteYes I agree. This is the best thing of his I have read, precisely because it's not all black and white.
ReplyDeleteI imagine it's very brave and difficult, yet cathartic, to grieve so publicly. You and he are both gutsy. Take care too.
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