Two Old Women

Velma Wallis | Fiction

four-hearts

This writing is the retelling of an Athabascan Indian legend passed along for many generations from mothers to daughters in the upper Yukon River Valley in Alaska.  In this legend, two old women are abandoned by their tribe in a brutal winter.  Yes, in the legend, they survive and thrive.

I believe legends like these are interesting in their telling AND also communicate messages for parallel circumstances.  As I read this legend, I found myself reflecting on how I contain elements of both of these women ... the courage and fortitude of one; the fear and sadness of the other.  I find it a useful and inspiring tale for myself while I continue to process my grief and try to create a life for myself.

I highly recommend this book. It is very short – small in size and only 127 pages long.  I bought it in the Fairbanks airport, and would like to give it away to whomever of my blog readers feels drawn to it ... just let me know.