Letters of E.B. White: Chris Brown

Posted At : August 25, 2008 1:00 AM
Related Categories: Personal Narratives

Taken from Letters of E.B. White, published by HarperCollins. (Letter to Judith W. Preusser, November 10, 1963.)

Read by Chris Brown: "This piece resonated with me because it speaks about people's search for meaning and purpose in their lives." Chris came to Alaska in 1979 and currently lives in Anchorage with her husband Danny. Her career in the natural resource and environmental fields has taken her all over Alaska, and presently she works for the oil industry on the North Slope. I especially like the Academy of Achievement website, which introduces students to leaders in the world's societies.

In a letter to a young woman seeking career advice, E.B. White offered his thoughts:

"Dear Judy:
I feel honored that you have brought your problem to me, but I feel a little scared, too. I think I'm probably better equipped to help a lady whose shoe is caught in an escalator than one whose career is caught in a bind. ...

Eventually, things clarify themselves and life begins to divulge a steadier destination. In a way, our lives take form through a simple process of elimination: we discard what we don't like, walk away from what fails to inspirit us.

...we should all do what, in the long run, gives us joy, even if it is only picking grapes or sorting the laundry. ... You seem to me a girl whose head is on straight and I don't worry about you, whether you are majoring in English or in bingo."

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