north star and horn

7/30/2019 North Star and Horn

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North Star and Horn

A Compilation Inspired by

Our Wedding

June 1, 2013


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Contents

The Pick-UpPaul Arras Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone

J.K. Rowling

This Bread I Break Dylan Thomas The Drum-Major InstinctMartin Luther King, Jr. Calvin and HobbesBill Watterson Selected QuotesC.S. Lewis As Kingfishers Catch Fire - Gerard Manley Hopkins Excerpts from Works of LoveSren Kierkegaard Why Taylor Needs Lids for Hot BeveragesPaul Arras How to Be a Poet Wendell Berry

Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood PrinceJ.K. Rowling

Miscellaneous Backwards Down the Number Line Paul Arras Calvin and HobbesBill Watterson UntitledWendell Berry


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The Pick-Up

By Paul Arras March 19, 2011

He immediately noticed her car wasnt in the driveway. Her

parents live in Florida all winter. She must have parked in the garage. Hepulled in, turned off the car, and tossed a couple books into the backto clear the passenger seat. He hadnt gotten out yet when her carsnuck up on him from behind. The flash of white in the corner of hiseye startled him. He turned, looked at her face, and then turned awayso she wouldnt think he was staring.

He recognized that thoughtful frown, those concerned eyes, her

head up and her eyes down as she negotiated the tight 90-degree turnneeded to park and still leave space for his car to escape the driveway.That unbecoming frown. It didnt match her personality. He got outof the car.

They greeted each other warmly, using each others last names, anunacknowledged playful habit they had developed somewhere alongthe way.

Howsitgoin?Good! she said brightly, flashing a smile. Better. I was just at thechurch dropping off dresses for the dress sale.

Thats awesome, he remarked with genuine appreciation.It is awesome! He liked the way she over-used words like

awesome, hilarious, fantastic.You ready to go?Yeah, let me just get my bag.Oh do you need any help?No. Its just one bag. She walked into the house.He stood next to his car, his drivers door open. Should he get

back in and wait? Too impersonal. He opened the rear drivers-side dooras though she might want to put the bag in on that side. Five secondshad gone by. She hadnt come out of the house yet. One hand casuallyresting on the rear drivers-side door, he turned and looked at the

neighbors houses, and at the warm March sky. A gust of windgrabbed his jacket, and it flapped wildly. He zipped it halfway up tosecure it. Glancing at the house, he resumed his inspection of theneighborhood.

The click of the front doors knob signaled her reappearance. Hewatched her emerge carrying a fair-sized, soft duffel bag with


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Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone (Excerpt)

By J.K. Rowling 1997

ExceptSo back again, Harry. Harry felt as though his insides

had turned to ice. He looked behind him. Sitting on one of the desksby the wall was none other than Albus Dumbledore. Harry must havewalked straight past him, so desperate to get to the mirror he hadntnoticed him.

I didnt see you, sir.Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you, said

Dumbledore, and Harry was relieved to see that he was smiling.

So, said Dumbledore, slipping off the desk to sit on the floorwith Harry, you, like hundreds before you, have discovered thedelights of the Mirror of Erised.

I didnt know it was called that, Sir.But I expect youve realizedby now what it does.Itwellit shows me my familyAnd it showed your friend Ron himself as head boy.

How did you know --.I dont need a cloak to become invisible, said Dumbledoregently.

Now, can you think what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?Harry shook his head.Let me explain. The happiest man on earth would be able to use

the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror. That is, he would look intoit and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?

Harry thought. Then he said slowly, It shows us what we want...whatever we want...

Yes and no, said Dumbledore quietly. It shows us nothing moreor less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You,who have never known your family, see them standing around you.Ronald Weasley, who has always been overshadowed by his brothers,sees himself standing alone, the best of all of them. However, this

mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wastedaway before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been drivenmad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible.

The Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Harry, andI ask you not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it,you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and


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forget to live, remember that. Now, why dont you put thatadmirable cloak back on and get off to bed. Harry stood up.

SirProfessor Dumbledore. Can I ask you something?Obviously, youve just done so, Dumbledore smiled. You may

ask me one more thing, however.What do you see when you look in the mirror.I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks.Harry stared.One can never have enough socks, said Dumbledore. Another

Christmas has come and gone and I didnt get a single pair. People willinsist on giving me books.

It was only when he was back in bed that it struck Harry thatDumbledore might not have been quite truthful. But then, he thought,as he shoved Scabbers off his pillow, it had been quite a personalquestion.


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This Bread I Break

By Dylan Thomas (1934-1953)

This bread I break was once the oat,

This wine upon a foreign treePlunged in its fruit;Man in the day or wine at nightLaid the crops low, broke the grapes joy.

Once in this time wine the summer bloodKnocked in the flesh that decked the vine,

Once in this breadThe oat was merry in the wind;Man broke the sun, pulled the wind down.

This flesh you break, this blood you letMake desolation in the vein,Were oat and grapeBorn of the sensual root and sap;My wine you drink, my bread you snap.


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The Drum Major Instinct (Excerpts)

By Martin Luther King, Jr. Delivered February 4, 1968

This morning I would like to use as a subject from which to

preach: The Drum Major Instinct. And our text for the morning istaken from a very familiar passage in the tenth chapter as recorded bySaint Mark. Beginning with the thirty-fifth verse of that chapter, weread these words: And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, cameunto him saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for uswhatsoever we shall desire. And he said unto them, What would yethat I should do for you? And they said unto him, Grant unto us that

we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, inthy glory. But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: Canye drink of the cup that I drink of and be baptized with the baptismthat I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We can. And Jesussaid unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of, andwith the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: but tosit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it

shall be given to them for whom it is prepared. And then Jesus goeson toward the end of that passage to say, But so shall it not be amongyou: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your servant:and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.

The setting is clear. James and John are making a specific requestof the master. They had dreamed, as most of the Hebrews dreamed,of a coming king of Israel who would set Jerusalem free and establishhis kingdom on Mount Zion, and in righteousness rule the world. Andthey thought of Jesus as this kind of king. And they were thinking ofthat day when Jesus would reign supreme as this new king of Israel.And they were saying, Now when you establish your kingdom, letone of us sit on the right hand and the other on the left hand of yourthrone.

Now very quickly, we would automatically condemn James andJohn, and we would say they were selfish. Why would they make such

a selfish request? But before we condemn them too quickly, let uslook calmly and honestly at ourselves, and we will discover that wetoo have those same basic desires for recognition, for importance.That same desire for attention, that same desire to be first. Of course,the other disciples got mad with James and John, and you couldunderstand why, but we must understand that we have some of the


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same James and John qualities. And there is deep down within all of usan instinct. Its a kind of drum major instincta desire to be outfront, a desire to lead the parade, a desire to be first. And it issomething that runs the whole gamut of life.

And so before we condemn them, let us see that we all have thedrum major instinct. We all want to be important, to surpass others,to achieve distinction, to lead the parade. Alfred Adler, the greatpsychoanalyst, contends that this is the dominant impulse. SigmundFreud used to contend that sex was the dominant impulse, and Adlercame with a new argument saying that this quest for recognition, thisdesire for attention, this desire for distinction is the basic impulse, the

basic drive of human life, this drum major instinct.[]But let me rush on to my conclusion, because I want you to see

what Jesus was really saying. What was the answer that Jesus gavethese men? Its very interesting. One would have thought that Jesuswould have condemned them. One would have thought that Jesuswould have said, You are out of your place. You are selfish. Why

would you raise such a question?But that isnt what Jesus did; he did something altogetherdifferent. He said in substance, Oh, I see, you want to be first. Youwant to be great. You want to be important. You want to besignificant. Well, you ought to be. If youre going to be my disciple,you must be. But he reordered priorities. And he said, Yes, dontgive up this instinct. Its a good instinct if you use it right. Its a goodinstinct if you dont distort it and pervert it. Dont give it up. Keepfeeling the need for being important. Keep feeling the need for beingfirst. But I want you to be first in love. I want you to be first in moralexcellence. I want you to be first in generosity. That is what I wantyou to do.

And he transformed the situation by giving a new definition ofgreatness. And you know how he said it? He said, Now brethren, Icant give you greatness. And really, I cant make you first. This is

what Jesus said to James and John. You must earn it. True greatnesscomes not by favoritism, but by fitness. And the right hand and theleft are not mine to give, they belong to those who are prepared.

And so Jesus gave us a new norm of greatness. If you want to beimportantwonderful. If you want to be recognizedwonderful. Ifyou want to be greatwonderful. But recognize that he who is


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greatest among you shall be your servant. Thats a new definition ofgreatness.

And this morning, the thing that I like about it: by giving thatdefinition of greatness, it means that everybody can be great, because

everybody can serve. You dont have to have a college degree toserve. You dont have to make your subject and your verb agree toserve. You dont have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. Youdont have to know Einsteins theory of relativity to serve. You donthave to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics toserve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.And you can be that servant.

[]Every now and then I guess we all think realistically about that daywhen we will be victimized with what is lifes final commondenominatorthat something that we call death. We all think aboutit. And every now and then I think about my own death and I thinkabout my own funeral. And I dont think of it in a morbid sense. Andevery now and then I ask myself, What is it that I would want said?

And I leave the word to you this morning.If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I dont wanta long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tellthem not to talk too long. And every now and then I wonder what Iwant them to say. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel PeacePrizethat isnt important. Tell them not to mention that I havethree or four hundred other awardsthats not important. Tell themnot to mention where I went to school.

Id like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King,Jr., tried to give his life serving others.

Id like for somebody to say that day that Martin Luther King, Jr.,tried to love somebody.

I want you to say that day that I tried to be right on the warquestion.

I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the

hungry.And I want you to be able to say that day that I did try in my life

to clothe those who were naked.I want you to say on that day that I did try in my life to visit those

who were in prison.I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity.


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Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was adrum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was adrum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things willnot matter. I wont have any money to leave behind. I wont have the

fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want toleave a committed life behind. And thats all I want to say.

If I can help somebody as I pass along,If I can cheer somebody with a word or song,If I can show somebody hes traveling wrong,Then my living will not be in vain.If I can do my duty as a Christian ought,

If I can bring salvation to a world once wrought,If I can spread the message as the master taught,Then my living will not be in vain.Yes, Jesus, I want to be on your right or your left side, not for any

selfish reason. I want to be on your right or your left side, not interms of some political kingdom or ambition. But I just want to bethere in love and in justice and in truth and in commitment to others,

so that we can make of this old world a new world.


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Calvin and Hobbes

By Bill Watterson February 16, 1986


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Selected Quotes By C.S. Lewis

Safe? said Mr. Beaver; dont you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you?Who said anything about safe? Course he isnt safe. But hes good.

Hes the King, I tell you.The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

A man can no more diminish Gods glory by refusing to worship Himthan a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, darknesson the walls of his cell.

It isnt Narnia, you know, sobbed Lucy. Its you. We shant meetyou there. And how can we live, never meeting you?But you shall meet me, dear one, said Aslan.Areare you there too, Sir? said Edmund.I am, said Aslan. But there I have another name. You must learn toknow me by that name. This was the very reason why you were

brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may

know me better there.The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret?There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.

Then two wonders happened at the same moment. One was that thevoice was suddenly joined by other voices; more voices than you couldpossibly count. They were in harmony with it, but far higher up thescale: cold, tingling, silvery voices. The second wonder was that the

blackness overhead, all at once, was blazing with stars. They didntcome out gently one by one, as they do on a summer evening. Onemoment there had been nothing but darkness; next moment athousand, thousand points of light leaped outsingle stars,constellations, and planets, brighter and bigger than any in our world.

There were no clouds. The new stars and the new voices began atexactly the same time. If you had seen and heard it, as Digory did, youwould have felt quite certain that it was the stars themselves whichwere singing, and that it was the First Voice, the deep one, which hadmade them appear and made them sing.

The Magicians Nephew
http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/4790821http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/4790821http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/4790821http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/4790821


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As Kingfishers Catch FireBy Gerard Manley Hopkins 1918

As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame;

As tumbled over rim in roundy wellsStones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell'sBow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;Selvesgoes itself; myselfit speaks and spells,Crying Wht I d is me: for that I came.

I say mre: the just man justices;Keeps grace: tht keeps all his goings graces;Acts in God's eye what in God's eye he isChrstfor Christ plays in ten thousand places,Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not hisTo the Father through the features of men's faces.


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Works of Love (Excerpts)

By Sren Kierkegaard 1847

Luke 6:44. Every tree is known by its own fruit, for figs are not gathered

from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. If it weresothat we should believe nothing that we cannot see with ourphysical eyes, then we first and foremost ought to give up believing inlove. By the fruits we know the tree. Yet when we say that loveis known by its fruits, we are also saying that in a certain sense loveitself is hidden and therefore is known only by its revealing fruits.

Matthew 22:39. But the second commandment is like it: You shall love yourneighbor as yourself. it is Christianitys intention to wrest self-loveaway from us human beings. In other words, this is implied in lovingoneself; but if one is to love the neighbor as oneself, then thecommandment, as with a pick, wrenches open the lock of self-loveand wrests it away from a person. If the commandment about lovingthe neighbor were expressed in any other way than with this little

phrase,as yourself

, which simultaneously is so easy to handle and yethas the elasticity of eternity, the commandment would be unable tocope with self-love in this way. This as yourselfdoes not vacillate in itsaim, and therefore, judging with the unshakableness of eternity, itpenetrates into the innermost hiding place where a person loveshimself; it does not leave self-love the slightest little excuse, the leastway of escape. How amazing! Christianity presupposes that aperson loves himself and then adds to this only the phrase about theneighbor as yourself.

You shall love. Only when it is a duty to love, only then is loveeternally secured against every change, eternally made free in blessedindependence, eternally and happily secured against despair.

1 Corinthians 13:5. Love does not seek its own, for there are no mine and

yours in love.


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1 Corinthians 13:13. Love abides. What marvelous strength lovehas! The most powerful words spoken, indeed, they are Godscreator-words, are Let there be. But the most powerful words anyhuman being has spoken are I abide when said by one who loves.

As truly as he is the one who loves, he will certainly be victorious, bevictorious, be victorious though his abiding


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Why Taylor Needs Lids for Hot Beverages

By Paul Arras May 25, 2011

One medium coffee please!

Cream and sugar? asked the Dunkin Donuts worker, drowsily.Yes please.Here ya go.Thanks, Taylor took the hot cup carefully and scanned the area,

and then the restaurant for a stack of lids. Ummm She caught theworkers attention. May I have a lid, please?

Im sorry. Were all out.

Ohhhh, she moaned.If you like, if youre taking that to go, I can put that in a large cupfor you.

That would be GREAT! She emphasized the last word withenthusiasm.

He took the coffee from her and poured it into a larger cup. Thenhe handed it back. Here ya go.

Thanks, said Taylor, still wary of her lidless beverage. Turningaround more slowly then she might have if she had a lid, she almostdidnt see Rachel Heyman running at her.

Taylor! shouted Rachel. Taylor just had time to set the coffeedown before Rachel embraced her in a hug. But Taylor hadnt hadtime to set herself for the excitement of the hug.

Owww! she yelped. She didnt know the proper terminologyfor it, but she had either tweaked, wrenched, or yoinked her back.

Oh-my-gosh-Im-sorry! Are-you-okay?Ha ha, yeah Rachel Im fine, Taylor moaned, convincingly

enough. She wasnt fine. She would miss two weeks of soccer beforeshe was able to run again.

She talked with Rachelor rather, listened to Rachel talkfor afew minutes before they parted with another strong but less surprisinghug. Then Taylor headed out toward her Rav-4.

Taylor-wait!Inadvertently, Taylor cringed, expecting a hug from behind. It

didnt come, so she turned around.You-forgot-your-coffee!Sheepishly, she dragged herself back to her lidless cup, retrieved

it, and left the store.


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HEADS UP! A familiar voiced warned her in time to shield hercoffee moments before a Frisbee struck her on the side of the head.

THONK. Hey!Sorry Hornstein. Paul Coir was standing next to her with a big

grin on his face that suggested his amusement made up for any feelingsof sympathy. He might have felt worse if he knew the brain cellsdestroyed by the collision had wiped the lyrics of eight different versusfrom five different songs from Rent out of Taylors brain forever, amemory loss that would baffle and frustrate her for the rest of her life.

Now her confusion and displeasure was pointed at Paul Coir. Afew feet off stood Brad Siegel, grinning more out of horrified

embarrassment than pleasure at Taylors misfortune. Indeed, Brad wasa better person than Paul Coir.Taylor rubbed her head where a lump was forming. What the

heck are you guys doing playing Frisbee in the parking lot? And whyare all these JD kids at the Manlius Dunkin Donuts today??

Paul laughed. Unlike FM, we believe in ADVENTURE at JDYoung Life! Sometimes we hang out outside of our own

neighborhoods. Maybe you should try to get your kids to do that.Taylor shook her head. Well, I hope you find some adventure. Ihave got to run. She opened her door, reached in to take an old half-eaten muffin out of one of the cup holders, and gingerly set the lidlesscoffee in its place. Then she closed the door, just in time for theFrisbee thrown deliberately by Paul to crash off her window. Shepretended to laugh for the benefit of the guffawing Paul and Brad.

She turned on her car, and then reached over to take a sip of hercoffee. The radio started up, and familiar tune was playing. Taylorstated her surprise out loud to herself. Wait, Y94 FM is playing TheCave?!?

Absentmindedly she reached for her coffee. Whether it was theweight of the medium coffee in a large cup, or the size of the large cupholding a medium coffee, something caused her to fumble the cup inher hand. It slipped down just enough so a splash of hot coffee landed

on her wrist.Oooh!That pain caused another flinch, which sent the whole contents

flying. Coffee went everywhere. It went on the stack of colorful paperon the passenger seat. It went on the bag of clothes in the back seat shehadnt yet brought into her house. It went on the stack of camp


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brochures on the floor of the back seat. It even found its way into thebowl of watermelon rinds and orange peels back in the trunk. It was acomplete disaster.

And thats why Taylor Hornstein is no longer allowed to drink hotbeverages without lids.


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How to Be a Poet (to remind myself)

By Wendell Berry 2005

Make a place to sit down.

Sit down. Be quiet.You must depend uponaffection, reading, knowledge,skill - more of eachthan you have - inspiration,work, growing older, patience,for patience joins time

to eternity. Any readerswho like your work,doubt their judgment.

Breathe with unconditional breaththe unconditioned air.Shun electric wire.

Communicate slowly. Livea three-dimensional life;stay away from screens.Stay away from anythingthat obscures the place it is in.There are no unsacred places;There are only sacred placesAnd desecrated places.


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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Excerpt)

By J.K. Rowling 2005

The end, said Dumbledore, looking around at then all, of

another year.He paused, and his eyes fell upon the Hufflepuff table. Theirs had

been the most subdued table before he had gotten to his feet, andtheirs were still the saddest and palest faces in the Hall.

There is much that I would like to say to you all tonight, saidDumbledore, but first I must acknowledge the loss of a very fineperson, who should be sitting here, he gestured toward the

Huffelpuffs, enjoying our feast with us. I would like you all, please,to stand, and raise you glasses, to Cedric Diggory.They did it, all of them; the benches scraped as everyone in the

Hall stood, and raised their goblets, and echoed, in one loud, low,rumbling voice, Cedric Diggory.

Harry caught a glimpse of Cho through the crowd. There weretears pouring silently down her face. He looked down at the table as

they all sat down again.Cedric was a person who exemplified many of the qualities thatdistinguish Huffelpuff house. He was a good and loyal friend, a hardworker, he valued fair play. His death has affected you all, whetheryou knew him well or not. I think you have the right, therefore, toknow exactly how it came about.

Harry raised his head and stared at Dumbledore.Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort.A panicked whisper swept the Great Hall. People were staring at

Dumbledore in disbelief, in horror. He looked perfectly calm as hewatched them mutter themselves into silence.

The Ministry of Magic, Dumbledore continued, does not wishme to tell you this. It is possible that some of your parents will behorrified that I have done soeither because they will not believe thatLord Voldemort has returned, or because they think I should not tell

you so, young as you are. It is my belief, however, that the truth isgenerally preferable to lies, and that any attempt to pretend thatCedric died as the result of an accident, or some sort of blunder of hisown, is an insult to his memory.

Stunned and frightened, every face in Hall was turned towardDumbledore now... or almost every face. Over at the Slytherin table,


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Harry saw Draco Malfoy muttering something to Crabbe and Goyle.Harry felt a hot, sick swoop of anger in his stomach. He forced himselfto look back at Dumbledore.

There is somebody else who must be mentioned in connection

with Cedrics death, Dumbledore went on. I am talking, of course,about Harry Potter.

A kind of ripple crossed the Great Hall as a few heads turned inHarrys direction before flickering back to face Dumbledore.

Harry Potter managed to escape Lord Voldemore, saidDumbledore. He risked his own life to return Cedrics body toHogwarts. He showed, in every respect, the sort of bravery that few

wizards have ever shown in facing Lord Voldemore, and for this, Ihonor him.[...]Every guest in this Hall, said Dumbledore, and his eyes lingered

upon the Durmstrang students, will be welcomed back here at anytime, should they wish to come. I say to you all, once again -- in thelight of Lord Voldemort's return, we are only as strong as we are

united, as weak as we are divided. Lord Voldemort's gift for spreadingdiscord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing anequally strong bond of friendship and trust. Differences of habit andlanguage are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts areopen.

It is my belief-- and never have I so hoped that I am mistaken --that we are all facing dark and difficult times. Some of you in this Hallhave already suffered directly at the hands of Lord Voldemort. Manyof your families have been torn asunder. A week ago, a student wastaken from our midst.

Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time should come whenyou have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy,remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and

brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort.Remember Cedric Diggory.

It was, he thought, the difference between being dragged into thearena to face a battle to the death and walking into the arena with yourhead held high. Some people, perhaps, would say that there was littleto choose between the two ways, but Dumbledore knewand so doI, thought Harry, with a rush of fierce pride, and so did my parentsthat there was all the difference in the world.


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Miscellaneous

It seems to me that the best relationships, the ones that last, arefrequently the ones that are rooted in friendship. You know, one day

you look at the person and you see something more than you did thenight before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere. And theperson who was just a friend is suddenly the only person you can everimagine yourself with.

Dana Scully, The X-Files

Clare, I want to tell you, again, I love you. Our love has been the

thread through the labyrinth, the net under the high-wire walker, theonly real thing in this strange life of mine that I could ever trust.Tonight I feel that my love for you has more density in this world thanI do, myself: as though it could linger on after me and surround you,keep you, hold you.

Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Travelers Wife

Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earthshould that mean that it is not real?

Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

There will come a time, youll see,with no more tears.Where love will not break your heart,

but dismiss your fears.Get over your hill and see,what your find there.With grace in your heartand flowers in your hair.

Mumford & Sons,After the Storm

Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having

nothing, and yet possessing everything.2 Corinthians 6:10
http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2963218http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2963218http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2963218


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Backwards Down the Number Line

By Paul Arras July 1, 2011 (Taylors Birthday)

The school bus came to a stop in front of a white house with a lot

of vehicles cluttering up the driveway. Paul watched a little girl withcurly brown hair tied up in a ponytail with a red ribbon push throughthe swinging gate in front of her door and walk out to the bus. Shepaused to return the waves of her watching parents, climbed up thesteps, paused again to survey the interior of the bus, and then movedinto the seat across the aisle from him in the middle of the bus.

He studied her the whole time. She was wearing a pretty dress,

colored a deep blue that he liked a lot. He looked at it for severalmoments before he realized she was watching him. She had big brightbrown eyes.

Hello! she said happily.Hello, he replied shyly. He turned away, studying the back of

the school bus seat in front of him. Someone had writtenMUMFORD in pen. Paul thought that was a funny word. He didntknow what it meant.

I like your backpack, said the girl.Paul looked down at his pack resting on his lap. It showed a little

boy with blonde hair and blue eyesjust like Paulkicking a blackand white soccer ball into a goal. He LOVED this backpack. When hegot it two weeks ago, he wore it around the house all day. He wore itto soccer practice, but Coach Maarten made him take it off whenpractice started.

Thank you, said Paul, still looking down at the pack.Do you like my lunchbox? asked the girl.Paul looked over and gasped. It was a Monsters, Inc. lunchbox! It

showed Mike and Sully hard at work in the scare factory. He hadntknown such an item existed. He lovedMonsters, Inc. He knew all ofSullys lines and most of Mikes and could recite them while hewatched the movie. Paul thought he had probably seen Monsters, Inc.

one bazillion times. No exaggeration.He nodded.I got it for my birthdayin July! Im eight-years-old! said the girl

with immense pride.Paul nodded again. Im nine. It was my birthday yesterday, he

noted absently, still staring at the girls lunchbox.


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Wow! Youre OLD! cried the girl. When she said this, Paul satup straighter and stuck out his chest importantly.

Thank you, he said politely. He glanced at her bright eyesagain for a moment before looking back at her beautiful lunchbox.

What did you get for your birthday? asked the girl. Did you getthat backpack?

Paul shook his head. No. This was for back-to-school. I got agame for my birthday.

A video game? asked the girl. For her age, she was very good atkeeping a conversation going, and an excellent listener, as her motheralways said.

No. A board game.Its called uhummmmI forget. But youbuild different colored trains, and you try to get from one city toanother. I already played it twice with my friends!

Ohh-hhhhh, said the girl appreciatively. I like trains.Paul thought he might like to invite this girl to come play his new

game with him, but he said nothing.What else did you get? asked the girl.

Ummmm Paul lifted up his feet. I got these socks! Theywere black Nike socks that were only long enough to cover his ankle,the first short pair of socks he had ever owned.

I dont like socks, said the girl. She added quickly, on myown feet. I like your socks.

Paul looked at the girls feet. She was wearing sandals. Her toeswere painted red, matching the ribbon in her hair. I like your toenailcolor, he said softly.

Thank you! said the girl, wiggling her toes in pleasure. Whatsyour name?

Paul Arras.My name is Taylor Hornstein. What grade are you in?Second.Oh. Taylor was disappointed. Im in first.Whos your teacher? Paul asked.

Mrs. Coir, she replied.Oh! I had her! Shes very nice!Taylor nodded quietly. She was still sad that they werent in the

same grade.


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Paul looked at the mysterious MUMFORD for a few moments.He gathered up his courage and turned back to look into the girls

bright eyes.Would you like to be friends, Taylor Hornstein? he asked.

Taylor beamed, which made Paul happy. That soundsgreat! Paulliked the way she emphasized the last word. Great. Whats yourfavorite color? she asked playfully.

Green.Taylor reached into her own backpack and pulled out a stack of

square pieces of paper in a striking variety of colors. She selected abright green square. Ill write my address and phone number down.

Paul stopped her. Ohh, can I have blue? I like that blue. Hepointed to a card that nearly matched her dress.Sure!She carefully wrote down her name, address, and phone number

then handed the square of paper to Paul. He looked at it. He liked herhandwriting. It was curvy, distinct, neat, and joyful.

The bus reached the school. Taylor put her Monsters Inc.

lunchbox back in her backpack. Paul put his soccer pack on.See you tomorrow, Paul Arras! said Taylor as they climbeddown the big bus stairs.

See you later for the ride home! said Paul.Taylor laughed, and after she disappeared into the crowd, hunting

for Mrs. Coirs room, Paul thought he could still hear her laughterabove the buzz of the first day of school.

__________________________________________________Backwards Down the Number Line Phish

Happy happy oh my friendBlow out candles once againLeave the presents all insideTake my hand and let's take aride

Backwards down the numberline

You were eight and I was nineDo you know what happenedthenDo you know why we're stillfriends

Laughing all these many yearsWe've pushed through hardshipstasted tearsWe made a promise one to keepI can still recite it in my sleep

Every time a birthday comes

Call your friend and sing a songOr whisper it in to his earsOr write it down just don't missa year

You decide what it containsHow long it goesBut this remainsThe only rule is it beginsHappy happy oh my friend

You decide what it containsHow long it goes

But this remainsThe only rule is it begins

And all my friends comeBackwards down the numberline


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Calvin and Hobbes

By Bill Watterson January 20, 1991


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Untitled

By Wendell Berry 2005

II.

This is the time youd like to stay.Not a leaf stirs. There is no sound.The fireflies light from the ground.

Youve shed the vanities of whenand how and why, for now. And thenThe phone rings. You are called away.

north star and horn

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