No flaws in the design of these mini-irises |
On a recent New
Yorker podcast, writer Tony Earley read and discussed Robert
Maxwell's short story, "Love." It’s not what you think. Well, the story is about love, the love of a young boy for his fifth-grade teacher.
Even more, it’s about death, but as Earley said when talking about the story,
“Who would read something with the title ‘Death’?”
At the end of the conversation, Earley, the author of the
personal essay collection Somehow Form a
Family, added his own commentary about death.
“I see death as a design flaw,” he said. “And I want to write a letter to
someone about that.”
When Earley figures out who the letter should go to, I’d
like to report a few other design flaws. On my list of flaws I’d add infections
like meningitis that nearly killed a 21-year-old and left him facing months of
rehab.
Birth control that fails for a single woman and physiology
that doesn’t work for a couple wanting a baby.
Surges of electricity after a power outage that spark fire
and burn a house and all of its contents to the ground.
Hurricanes that wash away homes and schools anywhere, but
especially those that repeatedly devastate the poorest parts of Central
America.
War.
Poverty.
Guns.
You likely have a few you’d add to the list, too.
When I was growing up, I was taught that God knew best. That when horrible things happen—like
illness, shootings, hurricanes, fire—these were all part of God’s plan.
I don’t believe that way any more. Now, I think God views
these as flaws, too, and would like nothing better than some fixes.
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