Category — Words for thought

Photo: Little Alice Gackle, in Porteau Cove, a few weeks ago 

“The way of Jesus is the way of hiddenness, powerlessness and littleness. It does not seem a very appealing way. Yet when I enter into true, deep communion with Jesus, I will find that it is this small way that leads to real peace and joy.”

- Henri Nouwen

© Christina Crook

“For attractive lips, speak words of kindness…

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.”

 – Audrey Hepburn, “For the Ladies”

“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”

- 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

My hand, Bowen Island

“Be anything you like, be madmen, drunks, and bastards of every shape and form, but at all costs avoid one thing: success.”

- Thomas Merton, Trappist monk

“The thing about writing is not to talk, but to do it; no matter how bad or even mediocre it is, the process and production is the thing, not the sitting and theorizing about how one should write ideally, or how well one could write if one really wanted to or had the time. 

As Mr. Kazin told me: “You don’t write to support yourself; you work to support your writing.” 

– Sylvia Plath in Letters Home 

Quote: Albert Camus (French Novelist, Essayist and Playwright, 1957 Nobel Prize for Literature, 1913-1960;) Art/Image: Christina Crook  

© Christina Crook 2009  [London street]

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“The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating — in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life.”

- Anne Moriss

True, true words particularly applicable for this soon-to-be-mama/writer/business-owner/newly-returned-home-domestic.

Today I commit to my work (turning phrases, quoting on projects,) my play (working on our Europe album et al,) my love (creating a home for my husband, our child, sorting through boxes, making my third run of donations, cooking, spring cleaning) — and yes, I shall be liberated for it!

Marvel. A word, I think, we use too scarcely.

Definition: marvel [mahr-vuhl] noun, verb, -veled, -veling or (especially British) -velled, -velling.

1. (noun) something that causes wonder, admiration, or astonishment; a wonderful thing; a wonder or prodigy: The new bridge is an engineering marvel. Archaic. the feeling of wonder; astonishment.
2. (verb) to wonder at (usually fol. by a clause as object): I marvel that you were able to succeed against such odds.
3. to wonder or be curious about (usually fol. by a clause as object): A child marvels that the stars can be.
4. (verb, used without object) to be filled with wonder, admiration, or astonishment, as at something surprising or extraordinary: I marvel at your courage.

Origin: 1250–1300; ME mervel < OF merveil(l)e < LL mīrābilia marvels, n. use of neut. pl. of L mīrābilis marvelous.

Marvel is a word reserved for things above the every day, things to be worshiped. It seems, for most, little in life inspires this kind of awe.

For me, it is the strength and terror of the ocean. The majesty of the Milky Way. The stillness of Everest’s silver peaks. Yet to come to this place of awe or worship I must find myself absolutely still, alone, present and best away from the clamour of the city.

Today words such as marvel, awe and worship lack commonplace yet the language of beloved authors, poets, essayists, philosophers and astronomers from centuries past was saturated with them.

As Picasso reminds:

“Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again. And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel? You must work, we must all work, to make the world worthy of its children.”

Where has our marvel gone? Is our lack of awe a byproduct of the last century of disbelief, media-consumption, self-obsession? Is marvel a backward sentiment? Or is it an emotion written in our DNA? Were we made to marvel?

“There is so much to hope for. It’s our job to see everything, to point to the beauty and ruin around us. We are not afraid. Whatever falls from the sky will feed us, and we won’t come down until no one is hungry.”

- From Victoria Poet Laureate Linda Roger’s inaugural poem, Going Up