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Friday, December 27, 2013

Verlyn

AN EDITED VERSION OF THIS PIECE APPEARS IN TODAY'S NEW YORK TIMES

("Farewell")

It was a strange sight, these editorial pieces seemingly about nothing of great significance. One man, outside the melee, listening and watching.

His gift was in his capacity to ignore all of the distractions, to comprehend the heartbeat of his existence, to communicate the wonder and grace of a world in which even the smallest part had meaning.

Verlyn Klinkenborg's words had a unique place in the New York Times. Nestled among the difficult and troubling issues that shape the direction of our collective human condition,  each piece invited us into a world that is often virtually impossible for most  to locate.

He was, in these short essays, a teacher and a poet. His message, I believe, was that there is a rural life waiting for each of us, if we allow it to exist.

4 comments:

gayle said...

And I believe, Robert, that you are our next messenger from that world of Verlyn K! Wisdom and experience from a seasoned (just somewhat!) observer of life.
gayle

Robert said...

Thank you for your tribute,though wholly undeserved by me.

Anonymous said...

to robert, auntpammy1
What a beautiful letter about Verlyn Klinkenborg. I was so crushed to read the farewell piece and equally crushed that there were no comments allowed. I have loved his writing for many years and I wil sorely miss him. I thought several times about writing a letter to the editor but I could never have achieved your eloquence.

P

Anonymous said...

And I thought I was the only one who appreciated and anticipated the view of Verlyn K....so we share something more than politics and our view of Republicans - Obamacare- and ageing parents...the Yankees are interesting- having young people around - and skiing (not golf)

G