Solitude is not something you must hope for in the future. Rather, it is a deepening of the present, and unless you look for it in the present you will never find it.I've just watched a remarkable film on the life of Thomas Merton. It is available from Netflix streaming: Merton: A Film Biography
It was produced some time ago, but its message about the mystic and poet, Fr Louis Merton, is timeless. It made me think about my doubting faith, and my emphasis on the outward problems of my church, rather than looking inside myself for the answer to what my life and beliefs should be about.
Losing my brother a few weeks ago made my search for the true meaning of my life even more important, and, indeed, at age 79, more pressing. We must keep our inner peace, while reaching out to our community and to our family and friends. I see now a lot of Merton's faith and happiness in my own dear brother. Charlie wouldn't have agreed with a lot of what Merton believed in, but both spread their arms and welcomed people into their hearts.
1 comment:
Dear Mary,
I am very sorry to read your sad news. Please accept my deepest sympathy for the loss of your brother. I can feel your pain, the 'searching' in your words - I, too, have experienced loss a few months ago and although grieving, experiencing loss and healing is different for everyone, I found some comfort in these words:
"Death is nothing else but going home to God, the bond of love will be unbroken for all eternity." - Mother Teresa
Take care.
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