May 16, 2011

Beautiful Words by Thomas Merton

Last week I had a whirlwind of appointments from New York to Los Angeles and back again in San Francisco. It was lovely, and fun, and magical, and exciting, and I'm so lucky to do what I do...but it was exhausting.
So I was happy to slip away into a blissfully quiet weekend at the end of it. I took a stroll Saturday morning simply because I'm in love with my new city and after being away I just wanted to be outside and breath it. I almost walked right past this shop when something in the window caught my attention: beautiful words by Thomas Merton.
One might say
I had decided to marry
the silence of the forest.
The sweet dark warmth of
the whole world
will have to be my wife.
Out of the heart of
that dark warmth
comes the secret that is heard
only in silence,
but is the root of all the secrets
that are whispered
by all the lovers in their beds
all over the world.
So perhaps I have an obligation to
preserve the stillness,
the silence, the poverty,
the original virginal point of
pure nothingness
which is at the center
of all other loves. - Thomas Merton

At a time in my life where I'm discovering the layers of difference between what it means to be alone and be a pair, what it means to share publicly and treasure privately your rich inner life, and how with a flip of perspective or life events you can be exactly where you never knew you wanted to be, these words on stillness and secrets and unconventional turns resonated with me...

Did it touch you too?

18 comments:

meenal @ maison marigold said...

Beautiful words indeed..love what have to say as well..have a lovely week, crystal..xx meenal

meenal @ maison marigold said...

love what 'you' have to say as well!xx meenal

design elements said...

beauty and stillness..

Monica @ bohemian twilight said...

beautiful.

over the years i have learnt the amount of energy that some of us put into romantic love is such a waste. we are remarkable beings and could be amazing if we gave more to ourselves, instead of looking for colour and completeness from another. i learnt that lesson the hard way.

nowadays, i am partnered, yet i cultivate the silence like secret treasure.

Unknown said...

HEART IT!!!

*kiss kiss*
Erika @ ~Tiptoe Butterfly~

Karena said...

Lovely words and images.....I am ready for a new partner when I see and talk to him I will know!

xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena

Come and enter my New Giveaway from Serena & Lily! You will love it!

Andrea Krummel said...

such a beautiful poem! i can't wait to discover and wander the streets of san francisco when i move there this year!

shiree segerstrom said...

I lost my wonderful soul mate of 25 years in 2007. Learning to appreciate my own company as well as learning to move forward and love again has given me incredible inner strength. It isn't a life I intended but I still cherish it. Wondering if you're at Blogfest? Shiree'

Anonymous said...

Yes it did! What beautiful words.

Crystal @ Plush Palate said...

@Monica, I couldn't have said it better myself :)

@Shiree, oh how very very touching. Thank you for sharing your comment with us.

Unfortunately, I'm not at Blogfest. I would have LOVED to go, but it's a busy workweek with Rue Issue 5 releasing next Monday. Have fun and let me know how it goes!

Alexa said...

Oh those words are simply stunning. Definitely touched me.
alexa
www.theshortandthesweetofit.com

Tricia Rose Rough Linen said...

Yes.

Jadyn said...

Beautiful. It takes courage to face that stillness head on sometimes...but it makes life infinitely richer when you do. Thanks for sharing.

Splendid Sass said...

Totally understand! Beautiful words.
I love the piece beside it. Wow.
Teresa
xoxo

Anonymous said...

such a lovely post

Carlos said...

Pretty inspiring words. Definitely true. What I'm stunned about this message is the thought of the author. Being able to manage this kind of stage in our life. It's about how you manage or overcome things in this world whether good or bad that makes us whole and gives us serenity and peace.

You really had an amazing week. Cheers.

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Anonymous said...

What is the name of the shop that had this beautiful poem in the window?

Rebecca said...

Thank you for posting this, it is what I was looking for tonight.

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