Lately it seems that there has been quite a bit written
about the role of literature as a teacher.
Perhaps I am just sensitive to it because I firmly agree with this and I
intend to make it one of the many teachers of my children.
One of the appealing characteristics of this anthology is
that reading these stories gives me the chance to jump into a different reality
for about 15 minutes or so. Then, as I
sit and think about what I've just read, I slowly process what the stories could teach
me – what lessons do they impart.
Perhaps it’s through the lessons of literature, stories of
this type that have given me the tools deal with women throughout my life.
I enjoy reading stories
by women authors with a woman as the lead character and I enjoyed this little
story by Houston.
I thought about the relationships I've had over the years
with women and certain feelings they may have felt as a result of my actions –
or inaction.
The love, the questioning, the jealousy, the trust and
distrust – the hate, the pressure the capture and the freedom. I remember how I felt in those relationships,
and to dial time back and think about how she, the girl in my life felt…and - well,
it’s a little tough sometimes.
This story had a nice minimalist feel to it (my opinion) –clean
and sleek – impressively so and later discovering that Houston wrote the story
in a burst – 10 hours at the computer – and she states that after those first
ten hours – she never changed a word of the story. She too recognizes the how special it is to
drive all the words out into the world in one push and end up with something so
perfect.
