Tag Archives: "Flannery O’Connor"

“I lent some stories to a country lady who lives down the road from me, and when she returned them, she said, “Well, them stories just gone and shown you how some folks would do,” and I thought to myself that that was right; when you write stories, you have to be content to start exactly there—showing how some specific … →

“If you do the same thing every day at the same time for the same length of time, you’ll save yourself from many a sink. Routine is a condition of survival.” –Flannery O’Connor, The Habit of Being, letter to “A,” February 10, 1962 Here, O’Connor was specifically talking about the habit of writing; she wrote every morning for three hours, … →

“From 15 to 18 is an age at which one is very sensitive to the sins of others, as I know from recollections of myself. At that age you don’t look for what is hidden. It is a sign of maturity not to be scandalized and to try to find explanations in charity.” –Flannery O’Connor, The Habit of Being: Letters … →

One of my Secrets of Adulthood is: Outer order contributes to inner calm. For many people (including me), in fact, this seems disproportionately true. It’s not such a big deal to have a messy coat closet or a crowded desk — yet I get a surprising rush of happiness and relief when I clear clutter. I’ve realized, too, that it’s … →