I think that what I was talking about was that as a woman growing up in a Mormon tradition in Salt Lake City, Utah, we were taught - and we are still led to believe - that the most important value is obedience. But that obedience in the name of religion or patriotism ultimately takes our souls. So I think it's this larger issue of what is acceptable and what is not; where do we maintain obedience and law and where do we engage in civil disobedience - where we can cross the line physically and metaphorically and say, "No, this is no longer appropriate behavior."
Terry Tempest WilliamsI don't set boundaries for myself when I am writing; if I did, I would be paralyzed from the start, unable to write a word on the page.
Terry Tempest WilliamsI think wherever we are, we can create an atmosphere of openness and trust, where women and those who feel marginalized feel safe to speak the truth of their lives.
Terry Tempest WilliamsWhen I said, "I am my mother, but I'm not," I was saying my path would be my own.
Terry Tempest WilliamsI think my heart breaks daily living in Salt Lake City, Utah. But I still love it. And that is the richness, the texture.
Terry Tempest WilliamsJohn Cobb is saying that perhaps we are beginning to see that now as our greed goes completely out of control and everything is seen through money, through corporate power, etc., etc. We know it well. He asked the question, What will be the holocaust that takes us to the next era? - which he describes as "Earthism."
Terry Tempest Williams