Saturday, April 30, 2005

"Criticism often takes away from the tree caterpillars and blossoms together."
Richter.

Learning

"He who has no inclination to learn more will be very apt to think that he knows enough."
Powell

How true that is. We see it when it comes to religion most often. The story of the "Truth Bird"
brings that out so clearly. But I think we are very apt to think we know enough about a great many things. Maybe never so demonstrated as with people. A few brief conversations or observations, and we know enough of that person to know, we needn't pursue a friendship.
How that conclusion dwarfs our life.

Now here is a humiliating quote for me--
" Voracious learning, often over-fed, digests not into sense her motley meal. This bookcase with dark booty almost burst, this forager on other's wisdom, leaves her native farm, her reason, quite untill'd. -- Young

That made me think about all the books I have in my library. "Other's wisdom", which make no mistake about it, I am so thankful for. My library has been my fellowship, my encouragement and my support throughout my Christian walk. None the less, the quote convicts me of the many times when I was truant in personal time with God, alone in His word, seeking his light in a passage, reasoning together with him and no one else.

Creativity

" Leisure, itself the creation of wealth, is incessantly engaged in transmuting wealth
into beauty by secreting the surplus energy which flowers in great architecture, great
painting and great literature. Only in the atmosphere thus engendered floats that
impalpable dust of ideas which is real culture. A colony of ants or bees will never create
a Parthenon. -- Edith Wharton

I had to read that piece over a few times, but I like it. As I consider my own life, although when working I am making money, it is in my leisure that I create. I never thought about leisure in that light. I know in my leisure, if I am not busy doing something creative, I am most tempted. That aside, leisure is a time to do things useful. It may be that useful thing is to have a time of rest or recreation, but aside from that it is time to create, whether in the garden, on the blog, behind a camera, in front of an easel or creating spires and turrets adorning architecture. I'm so thankful for every curve and flowerette on a building. My eye follows each line with appreciation. I'm afraid economics has reduced our buildings to pure function now, but what a price to pay!
"Impalpable dust of ideas which is real culture." Just as this little quote stirs up the dust of ideas, I will not view my leisure quite the same.

Saturday, April 16, 2005

Are we men?

"Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist.
He who would gather immortal palms must not be
hindered by the name of goodness, but must explore
if it be goodness." Emerson

I like that quote, I also like the old paths; there is strength in tradition, maybe safety,
but if we be ever conforming, when will we be exploring, if never
exploring, where will advances come from?

Saturday, April 02, 2005

Passions

"All the passions," says an old writer, "are such near neighbors, that if
one of them is on fire, the others should send for the buckets." Thus love and hate being both passions, the one is never safe from the spark that sets the other ablaze.-- Bulwer

" Oh, how the passions, insolent and strong, bear our weak minds their rapid course along;
make us the madness of their will obey; then die, and leave us to our grief's a prey!
Crabbe

And lastly---

"Passion is the great mover and spring of the soul; when men's passions are strongest, they may have great and noble effects; but they are then also apt to fall into the greatest miscarriages.-- Sprat
" The absent are never without fault
nor the present without excuse."
Franklin

Anticipation

"All earthly delights are sweeter in expectation than in enjoyment;
but all spiritual pleasures more in fruition than in expectation."
Feltham

Self culture

"The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object.
The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food.
The more musical the ear, the more pleasant the melody.
The more perfect the soul, the more joyous the joys of heaven
and the more glorious the glory.
Baxter

I like this quote. As we age and naturally gain more knowledge, our
appreciation of our world grows and brings us more pleasure.
In addition, as we cultivate ourselves, and learn more about God, people, places
and things, though it may require effort, we are rewarded with a deeper level of
living, a savor that slothfulness will never know. Don't you think?