any leisure for heartaches, even when the body is quivering from
weariness, and every nerve cries out for rest. I must keep on and on
and on, for all too easily the dread memories come creeping back and
enfold me until there is no light on any side. From morning until
night it is a fight against the tide.

Work is the only thing that keeps me from thinking, and I am
determined not to think. I suppose I am as contented here as I could
be anywhere. My whole heart is in the kindergarten and the success of
it, and maybe the day will come when my work will be all sufficient to
satisfy my soul's craving. But it hasn't come yet!

I almost envy some of these good people who can stand in the middle of
one of their prayers and touch all four sides. They know what they
want and are satisfied when they get it, but I want the moon and the
stars and the sun thrown in.

When things seem closing in upon me and everything looks dark, I flee
to the woods. I never knew what the trees and the wind and the sky
really meant until I came out here and had to make friends of them. I
think you have to be by yourself and a bit lonesome before Nature ever
begins to whisper her secrets. Can you imagine Philistine Me going out
on the hill top to see the sun-rise and going without my supper to see
it set? I am even studying the little botany that Jack gave me, though
my time and my intellect are equally limited.

And speaking of Jack leads me to remark that there is no necessity for
all of you to maintain such an oppressive silence concerning him!
Three months ago you wrote me that he was not well, and that he was
going south with you and sister. He must be pretty sick to stop work