Many of Irving's novels have a central theme dealing with grace that enables life. In A Widow for One Year that really come through more in the longer story as we see Ruth in her 40s finally ready to love. But A Door in the Floor also ends with a note of grace. Even though there is great sadness in how things work out for the
family, we also see the beginnings of the life that goes on in the midst of such tragedy -- life that had not been found in the aftermath of the death of the two sons. The new beginnings that have come into everyone's life at the end of the film hold promise of brighter days for all.
--Darrel Manson
ON GRACE
Riches may enable us to confer favours, but to confer them with propriety and grace requires a something that riches cannot give.
Charles Caleb Colton (1780 - 1832), Lacon, 1825
God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.
--Reinhold Niebuhr (1892 - 1971), in a sermon in 1943
Virtue and genuine graces in themselves speak what no words can utter.
--William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)
ON BIBLICAL GRACE
The grace of God means something like: Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are because the party wouldn't have been complete without you. Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid. I am with you. Nothing can ever separate us. It's for you I created the universe. I love you. There's only one catch. Like any other gift, the gift of grace can be yours only if you'll reach out and take it. Maybe being able to reach out and take it is a
gift too.
--Frederick Buechner
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