birch musings

The reality of now--the unreality of all the rest.*

Eternity is in the present.

Eternity is in the palm of the hand.*

It is morning, afternoon or evening.

Begin.*

The grip the present has on me.

That is the one thing that has grown most

noticeably in the spiritual life--

nothing much else.*

Every day love corners me somewhere

and surrounds me with peace without

having to look very far or very hard or

do anything special.*

*All from Thomas Merton's A Book of Days.

My spirituality is fed by many diverse traditions and sources. I am a spiritual mutt. No dogma or loyalty or allegiance or conversion experience for me. My spiritual life is rich and inspiring and comforting and challenging and unique. And precious to me.

My dear friend Frances was here for a visit a while back. She was reading Merton and inspired me to explore his 21st century mysticism, and so I am. I add him to my collection of "food for thought", along with all the other world views that expand my understanding of what it means to be human.

Wouldn't the world be a better place if we could celebrate all the ways we are connected to one another, rather than be fearful of all the ways we are different?