It doesn't surprise me in the least that you're a Flannery fan. She isn't my favourite, as I have a weak stomach, but I do very much appreciate her work, as well as a lot of the 20th century Catholic authors (whom I assume you also love/would love: Evelyn Waugh, Graham Green, Sigrid Undset.. heavy themes of messiness and grace and the intermingling of that in the often wretched human journey).

Haha - yes to it being long! It was a post I had from a blog I tried to start a couple of years ago, and I decided to just post as it was, and then later I will use it as a reference point as I post about the sub-points more in case it fleshes out/gives context at that time.

Lots of good thoughts here. "..the limping spirit of mankind.." That expresses it well.

You know, it's true what you say about reality also causing problems: real relationship, and I don't just mean romantic and didn't in the article either, requires two courageous people really willing to see and delight in the reality of the person rather than some self-serving ideal of them. But it takes two, and to the extent we aren't fully courageous.. yes, I can foresee problems. We have to be wise to the reality of the lack of courage in the other person, too, I suppose. Interesting thought. I could nuance forever on this, but have already done that at length. Mostly what I meant was that we need to see people as irreplaceable individuals rather than in some sort of constant competition with potential "better" or we will never really love.

This is fodder for more articles.. you should write some, too! Ciao!