kentucky

On April 22, 2005 / By maggi dawn / Reply

well, Kentucky was a blast. 32 hours travel for 34 hours on the ground… but so, so worth it.

I met some fab people: it was one of those events where I had the privelege of being able to BE useful to a few people, but also had a handful of conversations that left me feeling fed/intrigued/challenged. Joseph Myers is an expert in the field of communication skills, and a lengthy conversation on all the areas that cross over – me on language in theology, him on language in communication – left me with a pile of new things to think about. Brian McLaren is just as nice as everyone says he is (and I mean that in a good way), Doug Pagitt is also v. nice, and v. v. tall. MR Lilly Lewin (Rob) is another tall man with whom I enjoyed good conversation. Also met various bloggers – Will, Corey, Tim, Spencer, Paul … and reconnected with Jason (who only lives down the road here in the UK, but nice to see another Brit there!) and more, too many to recite them all. And had a couple of clear hours with Lilly to catch up. (Various people have blogged notes about the event – Emerging thinkers who weren’t there might like to read the links at Lilly’s blog.)

Wilmore is lovely (dry country, but I won’t hold that against it) – I knew Kentucky was big, but I never knew it would be so charming. It has a kind of beauty of its own – not quite the South, but almost, it has huge Scarlett O’Hara style farm mansions surrounded by vast acreages of horse farms, all fenced with white fences. Like Newmarket, only ten times the size.  I thought I could happily stay in Wilmore for a couple of weeks – the blossom was out, the sun was shining, and it’s the kind of place where you just automatically SLOW DOWN.  And – get this – I actually ate my lunch at the Whistlestop Cafe. No Fried Green Tomatoes, unfortunately, but it was near enough.

Just before I boarded my plane home I watched the sun going down over an immense expanse of American horizon. I felt a huge urge NOT to climb on the plane, but instead hire a car and drive. Just knowing that this was country where you can drive for days and days fills you with a sense of freedom that is unique to countries this big (Australia has the same effect, and although I’ve never been to Canada, I imagine it’s much the same). In England if you drive all day, even from tip to toe, you run out of land. One day maybe I’ll do a big road trip.

I only seem to get around to jumping on a plane about once every 12 months or so, but despite the brevity of this trip, it did me a power of good. Thanks to Brian, Rebecca and Laci, who did such a fab job of dreaming up the conference.

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« mint julep
Thelma and Louise »

9 Responses to “kentucky”

Comments

  1. Sivin
    On April 22, 2005 at 5:17 pm

    I’m so happy you had a great time … I told Jason I wish I was there. Maybe another time. We’ll surely meet again…

  2. Howard
    On April 22, 2005 at 5:46 pm

    Big road trips? Isn’t that a bit Thelma and Louise? If so, who would you choose as your fellow adventurer?

  3. lillylewin
    On April 22, 2005 at 7:11 pm

    since you left, the sunshine has departed…much like england today….damp, 50 degrees, slight chill in the air and the breeze, and more rain showers on the way…
    a great day for a cup of “proper tea” as laura foster would say!
    are you familiar with the song “mame” from the musical of the same name?
    one line is “you give my ole mint julep a kick, mame”….
    and it goes on from there… i keep singing this in my head and changing the “mame” to maggie!
    you truly did charm us all…
    as i said yesterday, you are missed! and i’d be happy to road trip with you anytime!
    only though, if we could do the english version too!
    hope you’ll get some rest before term starts tuesday!
    hugs to ben! lilly

  4. andy sikora
    On April 23, 2005 at 6:01 am

    Maggi,
    I wanted to thank you fo the information you shared on Tuesday night at the conference. It was very challenging and enlightening. We were staying at a hotel about 30 minutes away and talked about what you shared the entire time, and again the next morning over a fast food breakfast. I was wondering where I could turn to hear this information again (I don’t believe they recorded the sessions) or if you had written anything on this. I learned so much, but I would really like to let it merinate and work it through. Thanks so much for flying all the way over for your session, the impact won’t be forgoten.

  5. maggi
    On April 23, 2005 at 10:13 am

    Hi, Andy. Try this one:
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0826466990/sixapart-20/026-2491204-3510050
    or click the link to it on the right side bar
    I have a chapter in it called “I am the Truth – text, hermeneutics and the person of Christ”
    it’s also on amazon.com

  6. randy buist
    On April 25, 2005 at 5:58 am

    Road trip in the USA… I think you and Lilly should take Hudson along for good measure. :)
    I’m spending a week with her in Costa Rica next month; so we’ll be sure to report on how she travels…
    Maggi – Thanks for making the trip. Your time with us on Tuesday night challenged and yet also deeply blessed us! I’ll say AMEN to that thoughts of Andy Sikora.
    Blessings Sister!

  7. maggi
    On April 25, 2005 at 2:48 pm

    thanks randy! it was great to meet you!

  8. pete
    On April 25, 2005 at 5:08 pm

    beautiful description. I grew up in Wilmore and lived there until I was 21, so every time I read a description of it I get a little nostalgic. Thanks…it sounds just as I remember it, particularly the “slowing down” part. My life in Minneapolis/St. Paul is way too busy and fast ALL THE TIME.

  9. Serena
    On April 26, 2005 at 2:26 am

    You looked remarkably well today, Maggi, so it seems the hols and travelling (however swift) did you good! Lotsa love xXx

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