More on writers

Everywhere I go I'm asked if I think the university stifles writers. My opinion is that they don't stifle enough of them. -Flannery O'Connor

Heads or Tails?

Nature gave men two ends -- one to sit on, and one to think with. Ever since then man's success or failure has been dependent on the one he used most. -Robert Albert Bloch

Truer words were never said

He must increase, I must decrease. - St. John the Baptist

Feast of St. Augustine

You are Christ,
my Holy Father,
my Tender God,
my Great King,
my Good Shepherd,
my Only Master,
my Best Helper,
my Most Beautiful and my Beloved,
my Living Bread,
my Priest Forever,
my Leader to my Country,
my True Light,
my Holy Sweetness,
my Straight Way,
my Excellent Wisdom,
my Pure Simplicity,
my Peaceful Harmony,
my Entire Protection,
my Good Portion,
my Everlasting Salvation.


Christ Jesus, Sweet Lord,
why have I ever loved,
why in my whole life
have I ever desired anything except You,
Jesus my God?
Where was I when I was not in spirit with You?
Now, from this time forth,
do you, all my desires, grow hot,
and flow out upon the Lord Jesus:
run... you have been tardy until now;
hasten where you are going;
seek Whom you are seeking.


O, Jesus may he who loves You
not be an anathema;
may he who loves You
not be filled with bitterness.

O, Sweet Jesus,
may every good feeling that is fitted for Your praise,
love You, delight in You, adore You!
God of my heart,
and my Portion, Christ Jesus,
may my heart faint away in spirit,
and may You be my Life within me!
May the live coal of Your Love
grow hot within my spirit
and break forth into a perfect fire;
may it burn incessantly on the altar of my heart;
may it glow in my innermost being;
may it blaze in hidden recesses of my soul;
and in the days of my consummation
may I be found consummated with You!

Amen.  - St. Augustine

Bonus quote: 100th Birthday of Mother Teresa

When I am hungry give me someone that I can feed, and when I am thirsty show me someone who needs a drink.  And when I am cold give me someone to keep warm. And when I grieve give me someone to console. And when my cross grows too heavy and its weight I cannot bear,  when I need someone to hold me and it seems that no one’s there lighten up my heavy load, give me someone who deserves  to be loved, just as I do, give me someone that I can serve.  When I need some time, let me sit with someone for a while.And when my heart is heavy let me find someone to make smile. And when I’m humble give me someone that I can praise. And when I need to be looked after, show me someone that I can raise. And when I need some understanding, show me someone who needs mine. When I think of myself only, draw my thoughts to those who are kind. When I’m so poor give me someone who’s in need  and when my eyes are blind to what is holy,  let me see the Christ in the eyes of each one whom I feed.  -Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

Levity

Moderate strength is shown in violence, supreme strength is shown in levity. - The Man Who was Thursday, 1908  G. K. Chesterton
       I don't know about the truth of this quote, but I certainly hope in it. There is rarely something so terrible that one cannot find the good in it, rarely something so sorrowful than one can not bring levity to the situation. I do what I can to bring levity, humor and general goofiness to much of what I do.  Life is so serious, I want to season it with humor, temper it with laughter, and find the ironic and absurd in the moments that unfold before us.

Thanks, but no thanks

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. - Thomas Jefferson