21 Comments
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Renee reid's avatar

I love the way you write. Your gentleness with words encourages me back to being a pilgrim. Looking forward to sharing the next part of your journey

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Maddie Wilcox's avatar

Sleeping at Last and Mumford and Sons!! Love both of those artists. Also, am getting more and more convinced that I must read East of Eden…

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A. A. Kostas's avatar

Awesome Maddie! Yes you'll enjoy EoE if you like Mumford, some of their songs are directly inspired by EoE.

You might discover more waymarkers you enjoy if you subscribe here, check it out!

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Maddie Wilcox's avatar

Oh really? If you can recall the songs off the top of your head, I’d love to listen to them while reading.

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A. A. Kostas's avatar

Timshel is the most obvious, and then Dust Bowl Dance. Rose of Sharon is from Grapes of Wrath, another classic.

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Maddie Wilcox's avatar

Cool beans. Will have a listen!

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Ellen Keesling's avatar

LOVED "Into the Wild". Have you seen "Land" with Robin Wright? Equally impactful. While you find the waymarkers, I look for the joy droplets each day - the little gifts and blessings that often go unnoticed. In my sixth decade, I continue to open, to let go, to observe and listen. We may be kindred spirits. Thanks for your writing! :)

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A. A. Kostas's avatar

I have not seen Land - but I'm adding it to my list because it looks great!

Sounds like we're drawing from the same well, glad to have you here Ellen

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Natasha Burge's avatar

Beautiful

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A. A. Kostas's avatar

Thank you! Great to have you on the trail with me

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Deer Girl's avatar

I was always so bad at inukshuks.

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A. A. Kostas's avatar

Ah but maybe your talents lie in constructing literary inukshuks...

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Deer Girl's avatar

I can hope!

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Greg Jordan-Detamore's avatar

Nice! Discerning waymarkers (both their existence and meaning) is challenging indeed, but very important.

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A. A. Kostas's avatar

Agreed. Sometimes they're easier to recognise in retrospect...

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Carly Bush's avatar

Finally someone puts some respect on the Into the Wild soundtrack! I listened to that over and over in 2008. The movie still makes me cry every time.

As for waymarkers, one time I went Randonauting and stumbled upon a lion statue guarding a homeless encampment in the middle of the woods. It seemed sacred, somehow.

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A. A. Kostas's avatar

Also I wrote an essay on Into the Wild in more detail here, if you're interested: https://open.substack.com/pub/waymarkers/p/its-only-real-when-its-shared?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=3h3ksq

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Carly Bush's avatar

Definitely interested! Will check it out. Thanks!

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A. A. Kostas's avatar

I listen to Eddie Vedder's songs from the soundtrack a lot, they are so good.

Fascinating experience with the lion statue. What do you feel that signified or directed you toward?

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Carly Bush's avatar

At least to me it seemed to signify that the most vulnerable among us were protected.

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S.L. Kostas's avatar

Loved reading this - looking forward to what is to come from you. Saturn is an incredible song, in fact most of Sleeping at Last! Can’t wait to begin pairing music with books too.

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