Let my doing nothing
when I have nothing to do
become untroubled
in its depth of peace
like the evening in the seashore
when the water is silent.
Rabindranath Tagore
Robbing your life of charm and variety
the taste of adventure, of space, spontaneity.
How cramped are your notions, formulas, judgements,
always condensing yet hungry for content.
Don't break down my defences, accept the human lot;
each road must take the direction of thought.
Karol Wojtyla
Two very different holy men, more holy still by never claiming to be. Unselfconsciousness is an essential disposition of love, compassion, mercy, faithfulness, truthfulness, in short, holiness.
Tagore is referring to our clinging to self importance, and addiction to finding our significance in activity, achievement, embossing our manufacturer's stamp on each day.
Wojtyla speaks passionately against playing life defensively, with risk aversion as our default, busily dumbing down the possibilities of life to the familiarly safe, and finding comfort in predictable stability. Instead he urges discovery of the potential in the newness of risks taken, and thereby recovering impetus towards the will of God.
How to live out of suich wisdom?
One of my favcourite photos, framed openness with life and growth flourishing at the centre.
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