Brian Doyle on How Light and Dark are Lovers
Brian Doyle, beloved writer, editor, and Ruminate contributor, passed away from complications related to a brain tumor on May 27th.
We are so grateful for all the grace and playfulness and tenderness and gut-wrenching truth that Brian shared through his writing. He has inspired us and encouraged us and nourished us with his words and his presence. We will miss him dearly.
In an interview with Ruminate in 2015, Brian wrote:
...I think that light and dark are lovers; that darkness is part of the gift; that loss and grief and tragedy and pain and sin and crime and death are normal and part of our daily bread; and I am a particular student of grace under duress. I mean, everyone has scars and loads, and what fascinates me most, I think, is how we carry them with such grace and courage, how so often people reach to help someone else carry their load. Dark is quotidian; but so is love and grace and laughter. Both are in play all the time, aren’t they? So in my novels there are hard and dark moments, but on we go, because we must; that is how we sing our songs. Something like that.
You can read the full interview here. And we'd love to hear any of your favorite quotes from Brian—comment/share below.
With gratitude for Mr. Brian Doyle, generous giver of light and laughter and stories,
Brianna
1 Response
B. Jones
“When young we think there will come one person who will savor and sustain us always; when we are older we know this is the dream of a child, that all hearts finally are bruised and scarred, scored and torn, repaired by time and will, patched by force of character, yet fragile and rickety forevermore, no matter how ferocious the defense and how many bricks you bring to the wall.” ― Brian Doyle
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Brianna Van Dyke
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Brianna Van Dyke is the founder and editor-in-chief of Ruminate. She lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, with her husband and their two children on a working CSA farm. In addition to tending to Ruminate, she also enjoys leading retreats in the Ruminate Barn and taking retreats, too.