Friday, January 01, 2010

New Year greetings



I would like to wish everyone a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.
The sea may look a bit choppy and grey and the air is definitely chilly, but look at that bright horizon!

My New Year inspiration from Thomas Merton:
I think what I need to learn is an almost infinite tolerance and compassion because negative thought gets nowhere. I am beginning to think that in our time we will correct almost nothing and get almost nowhere: but if we can just prepare a compassionate and receptive soil for the future, we will have done a great work.

11 comments:

  1. Happy New Year!

    That is a beautiful quote, I concur with the sentiment.

    Lol 'concur' I sound like a politician.

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  2. Thomas Merton wrote very eloquently and thank you for sharing this quote as a guide for 2010.
    I must tell you that each time I visit your blog and see the header with the vibrant green and red colors, my spirits get a big lift.

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  3. Happy New Year, M, and I hope certain countenances are shining upon you. Thomas Merton knew a thing or two, didn't he?

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  4. Yes, look at that bright horizon! Thank you Maureen. This morning I woke to the sound of church bells ringing out the tune "For the Beauty of the Earth". Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness--this is my New Year inspiration.

    Happy New Year to you and yours.

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  5. Thank you for the greetings. I hope you are all enjoying the start of 2010 with family, friends, dear pets and good books.

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  6. that is a lovely quote to think/dwell on
    thank you

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  7. Happy New Year Maureen and every good wish for 2010. It may be cold down there, but according to the Telegraph you have daffodils!
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/6928163/First-daffodils-bloom-despite-icy-weather.html
    AliB

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  8. The sea huggger-mugger with the coast makes a great picture. I relished the Thomas Merton quotation. The wish for tolerance and compassions should be mandatory in the year ahead for all of us.
    w

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  9. I always have a book by Thomas Merton beside me, he never fails to express a real truth. He has pulled me out of a mental mire many times with his wisdom and capacity to see the larger picture. Thank you for posting this, a good start to the year.
    We are deep in snow in the Cotswolds, pretty and very quiet.
    carole

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  10. Carole
    I always have one of Merton's books with me, too - a great source of inspiration, challenge or comfort, according to need. This quotation is from his Book of Hours.

    I imagine the Cotswolds are incredibly beautiful at the moment. We are still recovering from the shock of seeing snow here on the coast. As yet, there are no signs of it ending.

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  11. Wendy
    Sorry that I missed your comment - the email must have been lost in the snow! Happy New Year to you. I've had to remind myself of that Merton quotation several times already and the year is still very new!

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I love to read your comments and promise that I will reply as soon as I can leave my garden, sewing room or kitchen!