LOVE Archives - Page 13 of 16 - Ellen Morris Prewitt

The Unvarnished Truth

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on August 19, 2016. Posted in GRIEF, LOVE. 14 Comments on The Unvarnished Truth

I was in the eighth grade. We had recently moved to North Carolina where we met our new Van Hecke family. One branch of the family lived in Charlotte, the same city we did. That was Daddy’s younger brother Merwin, his wife Faye, and the kids, Kelley, Michael, and Charlie. My sister and I had played in their yard; they’d visited our...

Entertaining Angels Unawares

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on August 11, 2016. Posted in General, GOD, LOVE. 6 Comments on Entertaining Angels Unawares

Like a water bug on a lake, he zipped past me, twirling around the display case, flailing his skinny arms, talking to himself, entertaining himself at the T-Mobile store. He was my favorite kind of child. A frenetic, voluble young boy of five or six, the type of child who might puzzle his classmates and drive his parents to distraction. A child...

How to Fail at the Race Talk

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on August 2, 2016. Posted in Featured, General, GOD, HOMELESSNESS, LOVE, Racism to Reconciliation. 4 Comments on How to Fail at the Race Talk

I failed at the conference for racial justice this weekend. I gave racially tinged advice to a perfectly innocent question that had no race element to it. I mistook one African-American woman with glasses and short hair for a different African-American woman with glasses and short hair, because all African-Americans look alike to us white folks. Multiple...

You are Not My Conservative Friend

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on July 23, 2016. Posted in General, LOVE. 22 Comments on You are Not My Conservative Friend

Two years ago, my husband and I went to Central Europe and heard the stories of those once neighbors—laughing together, eating supper, playing cards—who fell to pieces over “Serb” and “Croat” and “Muslim,” and began killing one another. We all know the stories of Germany where those who were once the piano...

Our New Surroundings

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on July 12, 2016. Posted in LOVE, Writing. 4 Comments on Our New Surroundings

We’ve finished the beach house. I told y’all about the narrative I’d created to guide the process along. I’m only gonna share one photo, or else I’ll go crazy showing you my whole house. This is a guest bedroom, which actually gives you a good idea about what the house looks like: The Memphis bedroom I need to pick...

Jesus Hanging on the Bathroom Wall

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on June 13, 2016. Posted in LOVE, Writing. No Comments on Jesus Hanging on the Bathroom Wall

In the pouring rain, across a highway divider in an unknown town, I sit at a red light, listening to the rain thump the car. Gone are the jokes about the cheap hotel room that cut the tension while we toured the tiny downtown where trees squared the block and the rotunda stood tall. I fell in love with the sidewalks so straight, but then we left...

Like a Hawk

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on May 27, 2016. Posted in HOMELESSNESS, LOVE. 2 Comments on Like a Hawk

You see, I’d just held a fundraiser for Outreach, Housing, and Community, the organization June Averyt founded to end homelessness. She also founded Door of Hope, which is where I met her when we started Door of Hope Writing Group. She died. I’ve told you about it here. Wanting to do something in her memory, I held my first popup...

Thank You for the Soul

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on May 25, 2016. Posted in GOD, HOMELESSNESS, LOVE. 2 Comments on Thank You for the Soul

When the dark night of the soul overtakes me and I can’t sleep for wondering how on earth I could’ve so terribly wasted this wonderful life I’ve been given, I sneak down the stairs, carefully feeling with my toe for the edge of each step so I don’t stumble. Patting the door jamb, I close the door behind me and turn on...

“Working” with “The Homeless”

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on May 6, 2016. Posted in HOMELESSNESS, LOVE. 8 Comments on “Working” with “The Homeless”

He calls me over. Wants to know if I work out. “‘Cause you sure got a nice shape.” The breakfast St. Mary’s offers for those currently homeless is almost finished. He’s mopping up his grits. His friend on the other side of the table is interested in my answer to his question. The friend cranes his neck, surveying...

What I Love about My Life in Memphis

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on May 3, 2016. Posted in General, LOVE. 2 Comments on What I Love about My Life in Memphis

I live in Memphis on an island with wild edges and a dog who loves them as much as I do. I have a wood-burning fireplace in my house. I go to St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral where the Dean stands up in the pulpit and preaches the most unsettling, Holy truths, in a caring, loving way. I can walk to the grocery store. I can walk to the coffee shop....