Susan Minot
I had heard about the magic of Still Waters in a Storm before my visit and was honored to come share my work with these children who showed up outside of school and on Saturdays to explore writing and thought. (Not to mention translating Don Quixote, but that’s another amazing story.) What I did not expect was the intensity of gentle attention given by Stephen Haff (and his volunteers) and the beauty which sprung from the motto: “Everyone listens to everyone.”
We ate pizza, children played on the sidewalk to run off steam, and then all sat down for the reading. I had been asked to share some of my book which explores really intense struggles confronted by abducted children in Northern Uganda, and was impressed by the openness to introduce children to difficult subjects. As I read about a young girl trying to overcome unspeakable trauma, there was a silence in the room of more than fifty children. This is a miracle in itself. The questions they asked me were brave and thoughtful and genuine. I had them sitting all around me on the couch. Then they impressed me with the writing they did in response, taking the stuff of their lives and finding the value in it and in their rendering of it. They listened to me, then we all listened to each other.
I learned a lot, too, about ways to be civil and respectful and was reminded how children not only deserve this most of all, but are most grateful when they receive it.
I left with a vision of all the children’s eyes. There were watchful eyes, intent eyes, shy uncertain eyes, wondering eyes and gleeful eyes—all the eyes of listening.