#homegoing

rough family tree for Yaa Gyasi's Homegoing

 Act IV is now posted.  (https://montaguewhitsel-4friends.blogspot.com/2026/06/act-iv-returning-to-deer-hill.html)

Thinking about this last part of the story, I recalled these words by John Dunne in his old book The Way of all the Earth (1972), wherein he described a process in which people get to know one another--

“The technique of passing-over is based on the process of eliciting images from one’s own feelings, attaining insights into the images, and then turning insight into a guide of life.  What one does in passing over is to try to enter sympathetically into the feelings of another person, become receptive to the images which give expression to his feelings, attain insight into these images, and then come back enriched by this insight to an understanding of one’s own life which can guide one into the future.” (53)

This describes the art of listening, in which the four friends are engaged, and much more.  Attentiveness to the 'other' with whom you are engaged, the practice of empathy and sympathy, being aware of another; one anothering, and coming, in the end, through knowing another to a better knowing of your own self.

This is what I hope to have portrayed as going on throughout this dialogue.

Let me know what you think.

Sincerely,

@resolutevalor

"You're the one who called me, remember?" His tone's sharper than he intends; he doesn't want to be cross with her, it's been so long since they last spoke...

"I'm moving back," he finally admits, faltering in his pace as if his body wants to match the abruptness of his words, "Medical discharge."