Faith includes noticing the mess, the emptiness and discomfort, and letting it be there until some light returns. Anne Lamott More Quotes by Anne Lamott More Quotes From Anne Lamott What an incredible drug fear is. Anne Lamott incredibles drug fear Writing is how I communicate my deepest beliefs, and what I hope are helpful observations about our dual citizenship, as children of God, as regular old mixed-up, worried, flawed, precious human beings. Anne Lamott belief writing children Greasy food is so comforting when you are hungover. Anne Lamott comforting Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird. Anne Lamott kitchen-table writing bird Every woman's path is difficult, and many mothers were as equipped to raise children as wire monkey mothers. I say that without judgment: It is, sadly, true. An unhealthy mother's love is withering. Anne Lamott mother love-is children Jealousy is such a direct attack on whatever measure of confidence you’ve been able to muster. But if you continue to write, you are probably going to have to deal with it, because some wonderful, dazzling successes are going to happen for some of the most awful, angry, undeserving writers you know-people who are, in other words, not you. Anne Lamott awful writing people I have a giant ego and terrible self-esteem, so I need to hit the re-set button fairly regularly - to get into presence, and humility, and being right-sized. Anne Lamott ego humility self-esteem What if we gave fifty percent of our discretionary budget to the world’s poor and then counted on the moral power of that action to protect us? Anne Lamott what-if fifty world And my fear of failure has been lifelong and deep. If you are what you do- and I think my parents may have accidentally given me this idea- and you do poorly, what then? It’s over; you’re wiped out. All those prophecies you heard in the dark have come true, and people can see the real you, see what a schmendrick you are, what a fraud. Anne Lamott real dark thinking I knew that the world was a harsh place, and my family was a mess, and even though I danced as fast as I could, I did not feel welcome, did not feel the great Shalom. THIS WORLD WAS NEVER A GOOD MATCH FOR ME. But my belief was that there was a loving magical energy in the world - seen in Nature's beauty and awesomeness, my best girl and women friends, art, music. Anne Lamott girl energy art I've known for years that resentments don't hurt the person we resent, but they do hurt us. Anne Lamott resentment hurt years In fact, not forgiving is like drinking rat poison and then waiting for the rat to die. Anne Lamott forgiving drinking waiting Sometimes it takes failure to figure out who you aren't. Anne Lamott who-you-are figures sometimes My theology is based on what I tell my Sunday-school kids - that they are loved and chosen, AS IS, now, today. That the moment is holy, sacred, and all there is - and that we are only as sick as our secrets. So TELL IT. Anne Lamott sunday kids school On the spiritual path, all the dreck and misery is transformed, maybe not that same day, but still transformed into spiritual fuel or insight. Anne Lamott fuel path spiritual For me, being a writer is not an altered state. It's very ponderous, and very - it's like being a shoemaker. Anne Lamott altered-states altered states Frequently, as so many poets and psalmists and songwriters have said, the invisible shift happens through the broken places. Anne Lamott invisible poet broken I think that is why we stay close to our families, no matter how neurotic the members, how deeply annoying or dull- because when people have seen you at your worst, you don’t have to put on the mask as much. Anne Lamott dull people thinking I naturally prefer the company of people who hold grudges, as long as they are not held against me. Anne Lamott grudge long people ...after a few days at the desk, telling the truth in an interesting way turns out to be as easy and pleasurable as bathing a cat. Anne Lamott crafts cat interesting
