Tags
C.S. Lewis, Clive Staples Lewis, home, letters, motherhood, mothers, parenthood, Sisyphus, The Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis, Work
“I think I can understand that feeling about a mother’s work being like that of Sisyphus (who was the stone rolling gentleman). But it is surely in reality the most important work in the world. What do ships, railways, miners, cars, government etc. exist for except that people may be fed, warmed, and safe in their own homes? As Dr. Johnson said, ‘To be happy at home is the end of all human endeavor’. (1st to be happy to prepare for being happy in our own real home hereafter: 2nd in the meantime to be happy in our houses.) We wage war in order to have peace, we work in order to have leisure, we produce food in order to eat it. So the job of motherhood is the one for which all others exist…”
__________
C.S. Lewis, writing in a letter to a “Mrs. Johnson” on March 16th, 1955. This correspondence can be found in The Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis, Volume lll: Narnia, Cambridge, and Joy 1950-1963.
As I was busy posting about the anniversary of Jack Kennedy’s assassination, I forgot to note two other events which November 22nd, 1963 also marks — the death of Clive Staples Lewis and the eleventh birthday of my mother, a reader of this blog.
Laurie Buchanan said:
“A Severe Mercy” is a book by Sheldon Vanauken not specifically about C.S. Lewis, but one where I learned a lot about him. After that, I read everything by C.S. Lewis that I could get my hands on. A brilliant man!
jrbenjamin said:
Interesting. I’ll check it out — he certainly was a brilliant guy.
wiseblooding said:
One of the most insightful books I’ve read! Lewis’s letters are full of gems about his understanding of life on this plane as well as the next. The struggles of Vanauken and his wife Davy provide the perfect for the practical (but profound) theology Lewis gave in his letters. One of the most precious volumes in my library!
Laurie Buchanan said:
Wiseblooding – Yes, it’s an extraordinary read. Penned so well it moves anyone who reads it.
wiseblooding said:
In fact, I periodically re-read it. There are new gems to be discovered (or reminded of)!
jrbenjamin said:
Great to hear another endorsement. I really need to check it out. Thanks for stopping by and for giving me the heads up.
navigator1965 said:
I am indebted to you, Mr. Benjamin, for bringing this to my attention. I had intended to make a similar argument in my second book, and now I have Lewis’s thoughts as a confirming authority.
Thank you.
jrbenjamin said:
You’re very welcome. What was the premise of your second book?
It’s a intuitive reflection from Lewis, yet one that is often overlooked.
navigator1965 said:
It is a rather ambitious work. I’ve amalgamated certain elements of narcissism theory into a unified construct of gender narcissism, which has a classical though heretical dimension to it. I believe the construct to be the means by which Christopher Lasch’s “The Culture of Narcissism” can be reconciled with Edward Gibbon’s “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.”
In other words, the process of decay which befell the Roman Empire was narcissistic in its essential nature, and we are in the midst of a similar long term process of narcissistic decay.
Something to do after work, the dishes and laundry are done, and the garbage is taken out. Domestic life can be an impediment to intellectual inquiry at times.
jjhiii24 said:
Your thought to post this insight is itself insightful on your part, as it puts an often overlooked premise of the importance of our beginnings in life front and center. With so much attention being paid to the latest innovations in technology and to the news from the places where life goes wrong all around us, it is insightful to remind us to reflect on what truly supports all of our efforts and provides the very foundation of our lives–the reason not to lose hope completely–which is that a mother’s love and care of her children can truly shape and change our world.
This insight is one I shared with those gathered at the final services for my own mother this past week, and your thought to include it here gave me a much needed reminder of just how important it was to do so.
Regards…John H. jjhiii24.wordpress.com
jrbenjamin said:
Wow, that’s fascinating — I apologize for not getting back to you sooner about this. I really appreciate — and agree with — your comments about Lewis’s remarks — that the chief aim of so much of the world is (or should be) to ensure that children and their parents are safe to live and grow.
I also want to express my sympathies for the passing of your mother. I hope you are remembering her with warmth and gratitude.
Best regards,
John
jjhiii24 said:
Thank you, John, for your kind words. I have been greatly saddened by this loss, as anyone who loves their Mother would be, but I am equally grateful for the benefits I have received as her son. It’s really hard to know just exactly HOW to feel presently, but I can unequivocally affirm what C.S. Lewis wrote in this case.
I have been struggling to get back to my blog, but I’m hoping to get back to the writing soon.
Regards…..John H.
Pingback: This Mother’s Work | Wise Blood
Pingback: C.S. Lewis on the Birds and the Bees | The Bully Pulpit
Pingback: C.S. Lewis’s Reflections on the Birds and the Bees | The Bully Pulpit
Pingback: C.S. Lewis Reflects on the Birds and the Bees | The Bully Pulpit