In Russia, we’re celebrating Orthodox Easter today! Happy Easter to all Orthodox Christians out there!

I happened to see this post on X. It was posted by Michael Warburton and it made me want to read Kurt’s works. ————————————————————————— In 2006 a high school English teacher asked students to write to a famous author & ask for advice. KURT VONNEGUT (who left us 19yrs ago today) was the only one to respond. His reply was a doozy. ——————————————————————————- 228E 48 NYC 10017 212-688-2682 November 5, 2006 Dear Xavler High School, and Ms. Lockwood, and Messrs Perin, McFeely, Batten, Maurer and Conglusta: I thank you for your friendly letters. You sure know how to cheer up a really old geezer (84) In his sunset years. I don't make public appearances any more because I now resemble nothing so much as an iguana. What I had to say to you, moreover, would not take long, to wit: Practice any art, music, singing, dancing, acting, drawing, painting, sculpting, poetry, fiction, essays, reportage, no matter how well or badly, not to get money and fame, but to experience becoming, to find out what's inside you, to make your soul grow. Seriously! I mean starting right now, do art and do it for the rest of your lives. Draw a funny or nice picture of Ms. Lockwood, and give it to her. Dance home after school, and sing in the shower and on and on. Make a face in your mashed potatoes. Pretend you're Count Dracula. Here's an assignment for tonight, and I hope Ms. Lockwood will flunk you if you don't do it: Write a six line poem, about anything, but rhymed, No fair tennis without a net. Make it as good as you possibly can. But don't tell anybody what you're doing. Don't show it or recite It to anybody, not even your girlfriend or parents or whatever, or Ms. Lockwood. OK? Tear it up into teeny-weeny pieces, and discard them into widely separated trash recepticals. You will find that you have already been glorlously rewarded for your poem. You have experlenced becoming, learned a lot more about what's inside you, and you have made your soul grow. God bless you all! Kurt Vonnegut