narrative

A pilgrimage is a journey set in a story.
— Paul Elie, interview for On Being (as best I can remember the quote)

narrative

I love to tell the story
says the old hymn—
not I love to tell the
doctrine; we do well to
read in the beginning
as another way of saying
once upon a time.
like frederick said faith is
not so far away from
the willing suspension
of disbelief, which is to say
being willing to trust
the story of mangers and
miracles of prophets
and parables, of golden
calves and broken folks,
is to find ourselves grabbing
at coats in the crowd,
or waiting for help by
the troubled waters
and struggling a bit
when he turns and asks,
do you want to get well?

Peace,
Milton