Page 36 - PC Issue 14 Summer 2020

Connection
BOOKS
Celebrating in a Pandemic
36
PRESBYTERIAN
SUMMER 2020
presbyterian.ca
By Laura Alary, religious educator and children’s book author, member of Guildwood Presbyterian Church in Toronto
“Should I be celebrating?”
The question caught me off guard.
“Is it tacky to self-promote right now?” Posted in a Facebook writers’ group, it made me instantly self-conscious. One of the casualties of this pandemic for me personally was the launch party for my latest picture book, What Grew in Larry’s Garden. While its can- cellation was hardly earth-shattering, it was definitely a disappointment. Try- ing to make the best of things, I have been promoting the book in every way I can think of: grappling with technol- ogy to make a video; sharing reviews on Facebook; crafting a series of tweets connecting quotations from the story to our current situation (e.g., so- cial distancing, suppor ting our neigh- bours). Until I saw the question it had not occurred to me that any of this was inappropriate.
Now I felt mortified. Had I been so steeped in my own particular blend of excitement and disappointment that I had been insensitive to the feel- ings of other people, especially those suffering from anxiety, anticipatory grief, worry over finances, exhaus- tion, or acute loneliness? Should I set my little book aside quietly until this crisis has passed?
The more I pondered these things, the more I began to hear my col- league’s query as part of a bigger question: Is it wrong to rejoice in the midst of chaos?
Feeling muddled, I decided to return to What Grew in Larry’s Garden to see whether the story itself had light to shed on my dilemma.
We can figure this out
The intergenerational friendship at the heart of What Grew in Larry’s Garden involves a lot of trouble- shooting. When their garden is beset by bugs, slugs, snails and squirrels, Grace and Larry figure out solutions together (with some help from the public library). Larry is open to the contributions of a child. This attitude serves him well, for in the end it is Grace who finds a solution to the big- gest problem of all.
Little green tendrils
What Larry only hints at in the begin- ning is that he and Grace are growing more than vegetables. While Grace puzzles over what this might mean, Larry brings hundreds of tomato seedlings to school and challenges his students to give them as gifts to people in their community—but not to
world would end tomorrow. His an- swer? He would plant an apple tree. What kind of answer is that? Does it display insensitivity to the gravity of the situation? Or is it a statement of defiant hope?
Surely it is best (to borrow a phrase from William Blake) to kiss the joy as it flies, because it is beyond capturing, and you can never be certain when it will pass so close to you again.
So make art, if that is what you have to give. Sing a song. Paint a pic-
ture. Write a story. Weep with those who weep. Be glad—if you are able— with those who rejoice. Give what you can, or receive with thanks what oth- ers have to offer. Plant an apple tree.
Or maybe start by growing some tomatoes.
What Grew in Larry’s Garden is written by Laura Alary, illustrated by Kass Reich, and published by Kids Can Press. It is available online from amazon.ca or chapters.indigo.ca.
Children’s Books by PCC Authors
friends and family. The students must look beyond what is familiar, pay at- tention to people they may have over- looked, and have the courage to reach out to strangers.
But a shadow fell
This whole community-building pro- ject is threatened by one person. The man who lives on the other side of Larry builds his fence so high it blocks out the sunlight on the gar- den. Although he claims the high fence makes him feel safe, his self- protection at the expense of others is an illusion that only destroys true community. Larry and Grace are frustrated, but instead of blaming or striking back in anger, they reach out in compassion, trying to understand the fear that motivates him.
Having good friends is the
best way to feel safe
It is Grace who comes up with the fruitful alternative that eventually draws their reluctant neighbour out of the shadows of isolation into the warmth of shared feasting. She opens up a possibility beyond self-interest, and points to the truth that genuine and mutually suppor tive community is the best way to secure the safety and well-being of all.
Like it or not, we’re in this together
Over the past weeks, our intercon- nectedness—for better or worse— has become undeniable. It feels like our global skin has been peeled back, revealing the fearful and wonderful in- tricacies of how things work beneath the surface, the complex and fragile tissue and vasculature of our social and economic systems. We have been forcibly confronted with a real- ity—we are all connected—that once seemed spiritually profound but now
seems both perilous and infuriating. Never has it been more apparent to me that my fate is tangled up not only with those I love and those strangers for whom I feel a general benevo- lence, but also the reckless par tygo- ers, the swaggering politicians, the toilet-paper hoarders and those who deride social distancing as a mark of weakness or lack of faith.
What Grew in Larry’s Garden points to some of the essential ingredients of a thriving community: co-operation, teamwork, patience, attentiveness, ingenuity, creativity, kindness and compassion. It reminds us that as this crisis continues to unfold we are going to need all the varied gifts that people (of all ages and abilities) can bring, including patience and wisdom in confronting ignorance and fear. It reminds us of the intricacy of our con- nections with one another. We truly are one body. What happens to one part is of vital concern to the whole.
So we return to the original ques- tions: Should I be promoting my new book right now? Even when others are suffering? Is it wrong to rejoice in the midst of chaos?
Part of life in community is making space for people as they are and rec- ognizing that even as we walk through similar terrains, we experience it dif- ferently. Our lives are never perfectly synchronized. Joy comes to one as sorrow visits another. Babies are born and people die. Books are writ- ten and contracts are cancelled. The holy challenge is to have hearts open wide enough to accommodate all. Rejoicing is a form of gratitude, and we can all share in appreciating and being thankful for the diverse gifts that enrich and sustain our communities in all times, especially difficult ones.
Someone once asked Mar tin Lu- ther what he would do if he knew the
Compiled by Canadian Ministries
The Del Ryder fantasy adventure series by the
Rev. Matthew Brough
The Del Ryder series is an adventur- ous and compelling tale of a young girl and her three best friends who stumble through a portal into the magical land of Azdia. There they discover that they are the long- prophesied heroes who will help save Azdia from the power of darkness. The power of darkness blocks them at every stage of their adventure, but Del and her friends persevere, follow- ing the clues of a cryptic riddle in the hope that it will help them save the land and lead them home.
Like the beloved Chronicles of Narnia series, Del Ryder is filled with religious themes and imagery that can be understood by older children and is sure to spark productive faith conversations.
Sometimes I Feel Sad Inside
by the Rev. Alex Douglas
Sometimes I Feel Sad Inside is a children’s picture book created to help families manage grief from a Christian perspective. Centred on the promises and examples found in God’s Word, this book tells the story of a young boy grieving the loss of a family member. This is a resource
for young children who have trouble expressing grief; it names difficult emotions and ultimately finds hope in God’s promises.
What Grew in Larry’s
Garden by Laura Alary Illustrated by Kass Reich
This sweet children’s story teaches readers the value of empathy, per- severance, teamwork and the amaz- ing things that can grow when you tend your garden with kindness. Co- written by well-known Presbyterian author, Laura Alary, What Grew in Larry’s Garden takes children on an adventure as they read about a young girl and her neighbour caring for and protecting God’s creation together. An added bonus is that the story might just teach your kids or grand- kids to love vegetables!