Forgiveness

RIC_7464-1, a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.

     Forgiveness is the decision to free ourselves
     from the personal offense and blame
     that have us stuck in a cycle of suffering.

       Fred Luskin, Forgiveness for Good

The Risk to Bloom

RC1_4854a, a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.

And then the day came

when the risk to remain

tight in a bud was

more painful than the

risk to bloom.

Anais Nin

The whole cosmos

RC1_4770
Originally uploaded by rchoephoto

The whole cosmos has come together in order to help you to manifest it. In you, whole cosmos can be found.

Thich Nhat Hanh, Together We Are One: Honouring Our Diversity, Celebrating Our Connection

Alone

RIC_6475
Originally uploaded by rchoephoto

Our disasters come from letting nothing live for itself,

from the beginning we have to pull everything, even

friends, into ourselves, and let nothing alone.

Robert Bly, The Morning Glory: Prose Poems

Practice Compassion

RC1_4772
Originally uploaded by rchoephoto

If you want others to be happy,
practice compassion.
If you want to be happy,
practice compassion.

The Dalai Lama

Heaven on Earth

RC1_4858
Originally uploaded by rchoephoto

Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.

Mark Twain

God believes in you

A rustic Russian priest was accosted by a brash young physicist who rehearsed all the reasons for atheism and arrogantly went on, "Therefore I do not believe in God."  The little priest, not put off at all, replied quietly, "Oh, it doesn't matter.  God believes in you."
God believes in us.  God depends on us to help make this world all that God wants it to be.

Desmond Tutu, No Future Without Forgiveness

.

Saints

Saints are what they are not because of their sanctity but because the gift of sainthood makes it possible for them to admire everyone else.

Thomas Merton