What can I say, what can’t I say?

by Laura Weis

Dear Mark,

Believe me, I want to tell you about how thoroughly I read, pondered, absorbed, reread, LOVED each and every page of your book, but then there’s me holding back, wanting to tell you in a perfectly worded way (I know, we’ve been through this 974 times already), a well-thought out, fully developed reflection (perhaps still wanting to impress you?), not leaving anything out (as if I’ll have only one chance to tell you what I thought). But how do you explain to someone the gravity of the impact they’ve had on your life? What can I say, what can’t I say? How do I phrase it? Can I tell you that it shook me to the core? Can I tell you that I felt all at once joyful, angry, grief-stricken, envious, confused, privileged as I read it? Can I tell you that one of the best parts was learning not only about Mev and her passions and pursuits, but also learning about yours? I want to convey to you the full range of emotions that your words evoked, but I’m not really sure how to begin (although I guess this qualifies as a sort of beginning). To be continued…

Laura studied in Social Justice in the spring of 2004. She is currently an intern working on Iraq and Darfur issues with the Friends Committee on National Legislation in Washington, DC. Some of her writings and reflections have been posted at the Center for Theology and Social Analysis web site.