M.C. Easton

The Fulfillment of Longing

In the opening scene of Shadowlands, C.S. Lewis lifts a paperweight from his desk–a rose in full bloom, encased in glass–and tells his Oxford students that this rose is perfect because it will not age, will not decay, and can never be touched. “The most intense joy,” he argues, “lies not in the having…but in theContinue reading “The Fulfillment of Longing”

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors

Growing up Mormon, I was taught early on to choose my friends and acquaintances carefully. Notice the effect they have on you, I was told. Notice how they treat other people. Consider how you feel around them. Scripture verses were passed out along with crayons and animal crackers, and one of the first things I learnedContinue reading “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors”

Making Peace with Imperfection

“That time of year thou mayst in me behold When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang Upon those boughs which shake against the cold, Bare ruin’d choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.” Thus begins Shakespeare’s Sonnet 73, and I think of it every autumn–but most of all in the weeks that moveContinue reading “Making Peace with Imperfection”

Thought of the Day

Just finished a calligraphy project today. Quote courtesy of Rainier Maria Rilke.

The Hermit

I have a confession: I love tarot cards. For a person who considers herself strongly rational, I’m not quite sure what to make of this. But I do. I love tarot. And one of my favorite cards is IX of the Major Arcana: The Hermit. It’s a card that reminds me that a quiet life–oneContinue reading “The Hermit”

The Depths Beneath

On the last warm day of 2012, I rented a kayak and paddled out into Lake Union in Seattle. Just as I adjusted the rudder, guiding the bow east and across the lake, I was seized with panic. I thought of the depths below me. Fifty feet under my hull, there was only darkness. NotContinue reading “The Depths Beneath”

Found Objects

I found a shoe off the highway. On a corner where sex workers often wait to turn tricks. The sketchy side of town. But what is art? And what is performance? Was the woman who wore this shoe last night an actress? Or a whore? Or both? And if you sell a part of yourself,Continue reading “Found Objects”

Fear of the Unknown

I’m not sure I understand writer’s block. A student came to me asking how she could overcome her anxiety about writing. She said she was afraid that she would write her essay, and it wouldn’t be perfect. “Okay,” I said. “So it’s not perfect. Look–I find it helpful to imagine the very worst thing thatContinue reading “Fear of the Unknown”

Shakespeare Goes Manga

This is for real, people. So there I was, in the public library, and BAM! Like Batman’s fist in a villain’s face, I found Shakespeare-as-graphic-novel. My first reaction was repulsion: NOOOO! But then–hmm. Could this be a good thing for the Bard? I cracked it open, to see how they handled the iambic pentameter, theContinue reading “Shakespeare Goes Manga”

Take a Moment to Reflect, Macbeth

We all get ahead of ourselves sometimes. And Macbeth most of all, the renowned literary critic Harold Bloom argues in his essay on Shakespeare’s play. It’s his imagination that’s at fault, Bloom writes, turning him into “an overanxious actor always missing his cues.” As soon as he imagines something, he’s already there–unable to exist inContinue reading “Take a Moment to Reflect, Macbeth”