Do I usually post at 8:45 on a Tuesday night? Not at all – but I read this quotation and felt so moved by its truth that I had to share. Enjoy and mull it over:
The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them.” – Thomas Merton
Humble Pie anyone? (photo by bkajino)
To add to this already compelling quotation, I think twisting or boxing up someone to fit our own image of who we think they should be only results in resentment. It’s an impossible task. Your best friend may always have that quirk, your husband will have that particular way of going about things that you don’t “get,” your coworker, your mom, your neighbor, etc. It applies to the people we don’t really like either and this “boxing” and consequential resentment are rooted in pride.
With all of this in mind, I’m writing my own prescription – The Litany of Humility once a day.
Dear Katie,
This post really touched my heart! As a mother of adult children, this really hit home. God blessed me with his most precious gifts and one must never be critical of a gift from God.
Thank you so much for posting this.
God bless you always.
Oh so true, Cindy! and thank you for your reminder as well. The people in our lives ARE gifts from God – why convey to God that they are sub-standard? How prideful.
God bless!
No way….I wrote about Thomas Merton tonight on a whim too!!!!:)
Loved this post, Katie. Such a needed and perfect reminder to me right now!
http://www.humblehandmaid.com/2012/10/winding-roads-and-happy-endings.html
No way!! How amazing! and yes, the quotation is perfectly timed to my soul, too. God works wonders 🙂
Katie,
Thanks for sharing that timely quote… it was a bit odd in terms of timing and context. Just hung up the phone with my daughter in law of sorts and curiously read your post. My daughter in law, well not quite, she is living with my husband’s son. They have two young toddler boys, (4 years old and 5 months old) together and by definition, they are common law married. They are another sad to say example of almost committed but not. She wants to keep it together, but he wants his freedom, or should I say cake and eat it too? Sara (not her real name) was in tears tonight as she made a final and wise decision to end her 8 year relationship. Tragically, it has been a verbally, physically (at times), and emotionally abusive relationship. Sara thru all the pain is desiring to grow closer to God and he does not. She is making a wise decision. I have been sharing with her over the past few months about our sweet Lord and His unconditional love. She is very open to learn and trust God during this very dark season in her life. ….Back to the quote. I read it still stinging from the words and actions of betrayal Sara has recently experiencing with her significant other, and I thought gee, her “husband” could easily use that quote to justify his bad behavior. He might say Sara is not loving him because she is trying to control him by not allowing him to be perfectly himself.! A very unhealthy person could twist Merton’s words to their own end and believe it to mean whatever you want love to be…. “Love”,in our secular culture is masked relativism, sorta like the build your own burger, wanting it your way. His way is abandoning the family for the single life, and checking in and pretending presence as dad and sorta husband. Their individual ways of doing relationships will leave deep wounds in the hearts of all of us. Please say a prayer, if you
remember. .. God help us all.. going to read that litany of humility prayer
before bed.