Terry Tempest Williams Refuge Essay -- Refuge Terry Tempest Essays

Terry Tempest Williams' Refuge In Refuge, Terry Tempest Williams weaves together her experiences and relationships with family and nature, two major themes of Refuge, as well as two apparently important aspect of Williams’ life. The book is the story of the destruction of her family and the nature surrounding her, but it is these places that are being destroyed are the same places where Terry Tempest Williams finds comfort before, during and after cancer started to consume her life. I believe on the surface it is nature and family that provides her with comfort, but in actuality, it is something beneath the surface. As a young child, Williams was taught through the Mormon teachings to appreciate nature and family, finding God in both. It is through her Mormon faith that Williams is able to survive the pain, suffering and fear cancer causes her. Williams describes the deep-rooted connection between her Mormon faith and her family in the opening pages of Refuge. Through her family, Williams supported her mother and grandmother through their fatal cancers, while acknowledging that her Mormon faith stresses family and community (Williams 13), providing Williams, her mother and her grandmother with a support network through these difficult times. The National Cancer Institute articulates the importance of this support to a cancer patient, suggesting, â€Å"that having good information and support services can make it easier to cope,† adding, â€Å"friends and relatives can be very supportive,† and concluding with the usefulness of support groups (NCI website www.nci.nih.gov). In Refuge, Williams shows her support by sacrificing her own achievements, stating, â€Å"I have traded my position as curator of education for naturalist-in-resistanc... ...cember 2004): 1210-1214. Spiegel, David. â€Å"Spirituality and Cancer.† Integrating Research on Spirituality and Health and Well-being into Service Delivery Conference. Bethesda, Maryland. April 2005. Death is another beginning and What happens to families after death? 2005. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Site. April 12, 2005 www.mormon.org Spirituality in Cancer Care: Health Professional Version. March 22, 2005. National Cancer Institute Website. April 11, 2005 www.nci.nih.gov/cancertopics/pdq/supportivecare/spirituality/healtherprofessional.com Support for Women with Breast Cancer. October 30, 2003. National Cancer Institute Website. March 30, 2005. www.nci.nih.gov/cancertopic/wyntk/breast/page5 Expressing Emotions Helps Women with Breast Cancer. June 12, 2000. American Cancer Society Website. March 30, 2005. www.cancer.org