Madeleine L'Engle

I have thought for many years that if I could be another person, it would be Madeleine L'Engle. Ms. L'Engle passed away from natural causes at the end of last week. The NY Times had a wonderful article about this incredible woman. She was a gifted writer and worked in many genres - children's fiction, adult fiction, sci-fi, spirituality and theology. Her A Wrinkle in Time series is probably her best known. I can't really name a favorite - so much of her work has revealed real truths to me.

I had the great joy of being with a small group of people to meet and interact with her one day. I was 23 years old and a student at Duke Divinity School. Ms. L'Engle was a guest speaker. She visited some classes and spoke, and then she was in our Divinity School chapel (a small, wood-filled rectangular room) for conversation. She was wearing a flowing dress (think Ab-Lib in Asheville), dangling earrings, and sandals. I thought she looked so cool. All the students were in chairs with her chair in front of the wooden table that served as an altar. She was having problems seeing all of us from the same level, so she plopped her behind on the altar and talked with us from there. Naturally, some people were scandalized and talked of nothing else for days. But for me, it was one of the most enjoyable memories I had from my three years there. I'm sure she will continue to be an inspiration for me and many others for years to come.