The Complaint and the Answer.

" 'Read your complaint,' said the judge.

I looked at the roll in my hand and saw at once that it was not the book I had written. It couldn't be; it was far too small. And too old - a little, shabby, crumpled thing, nothing like the great book that I had worked on all day, day after day. I thought I would fling it down and trample on it. I'd tell them someone had stolen my complaint and slipped this thing into my hand instead. Yet I found myself unrolling it. It was written all over inside, but the hand was not like mine. It was all a vile scribble... But already I heard myself reading it...

There was silence in the assembly. At last the judge spoke.

'Are you answered?' he said.

'Yes,' said I.

That was four days ago. They found me lying on the grass, and I had no speech for many hours...

I ended my book with the words 'no answer'... there had been no answer from the gods, and my case I laid before them. But I know now, Lord, why you utter no answer. You are yourself the answer. Before your face, questions die away. What other answer would suffice? Only words, words; to be led out to battle against other words. Long did I hate you, long did I fear you...

But now..."

[from C.S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces]

Found this as I was catching up on Lauren's blog this morning. Lauren is a friend only God could give, as the circumstance of our meeting was perfectly "random," and perfectly timely. The book has always been one of my favorites, from my preteen years to the paper I wrote on it senior year to now.

 Thought it was quite relevant.