More Quotes

More from Two-Part Invention:

"I do not think that death can take away the fact that Hugh and I are "we" and "us," a new creature born at the time of our marriage vows, which as grown along with us as our marriage has grown. Even during the times, inevitable in all marriages, when I have felt angry, or alienated, the instinctive "we" remains..."

"We learned to understand that failure can be creative, can lead to a maturity which is far better than success. For the human being to live is to live with the open risk of failure."

"Why am I worried about being typical? I don't think I am. One time after I had given a talk to a large library-association annual meeting, one of the librarians asked me, "What do you think you and Hugh do that is best for your children?" And I answered off the top of my head, "We love each other."

From Ellis Peters' A Morbid Taste for Bones: "He prayed as he breathed, forming no words and making no specific requests, only holding in his heart, like broken birds in cupped hands, all those people who were in stress or grief."

I am not moved, my God, to love you
By the heaven you have promised me.
Neither does hell, so feared, move me
To keep me from offending you.

You move me, Lord, I am moved seeing you
Scoffed at and nailed on a cross.
I am moved seeing your body so wounded.
Your injuries and your death move me.

It is your love that moves me, and in such a way
That even though there were no heaven,
I would love you
And even though there were no hell,
I would fear you.

You do not have to give me anything
so that I love you,
For even if I didn't hope for what I hope,
As I love you now, so would I love you.

~John of the Cross

"Lady Julian of Norwich wrote: 'He said not "Thou shalt not be troubled, thou shalt not be travailed, thou shalt not be distressed," but He said, "Thou shalt not be overcome."'"