Hope is willing to leave unanswered questions unanswered and unknown futures unknown. Hope makes you see God's guiding hand not only in the gentle and pleasant moments but also in the shadows of disappointment and darkness. Henri Nouwen More Quotes by Henri Nouwen More Quotes From Henri Nouwen Solitude is the place where we can connect with profound bonds that are deeper than the emergency bonds of fear and anger. Henri Nouwen emergencies solitude profound The university has become a place that prepares you for the fights in the world. Henri Nouwen university fighting world Solitude is an essential element for the spiritual health of a child. If we only stimulate our children - keep them busy with endless stories with no space to be alone - that's not good. Henri Nouwen space spiritual children A sense of solitude is one of the most beautiful things that parents can give a child. It doesn't mean leaving the child alone, but it does mean creating safe spaces where the child can be with other people. It does mean directing their attention to God. Henri Nouwen beautiful mean children Writing is not just a job. It helps me to pray. It's a way of being. Henri Nouwen writing jobs way I still believe that the university is a place where people can develop their minds and learn skills, but also they can develop their personalities and their spiritual life. Henri Nouwen skills spiritual believe The people who most affected me were the ones who got right in there with me, who cried with me, but who also had a certain authority, who dared to say what needed saying. Henri Nouwen certain authority people Solitude, community, and ministry are certainly not just for celibates! Celibates also have a hard time keeping up. Henri Nouwen time-keeping hard-times community I have always felt that if I am very personal and connected with what I myself am living, my writing will transcend ecclesial boundaries. Henri Nouwen connected boundaries writing It is not that the university as such is against spiritual formation. It is just that often the university does not know how to integrate spiritual formation within its academic disciplines. Henri Nouwen discipline spiritual doe Television is obviously an enormous intruder. Quite often people say they have no time, but in fact they waste a lot of time on things that are not healthy. Henri Nouwen healthy people television Good families always ritualize the table. You can say, "This is a Christmas meal; this is a birthday meal." Henri Nouwen good-family meals tables Obviously a child can never conceive solitude if his parents aren't living it somewhere themselves. I don't mean that to be alone you have to get down on your knees for an hour in a yoga posture. Henri Nouwen yoga mean children I am very grateful that I am in touch with so many different church groups. I am always very moved by the fact that so many people - practically over the spectrum of the Christian world - are responding to my writing. Henri Nouwen grateful christian writing It is precisely when you are loved a lot that you might realize a second loneliness which is not to be solved but lived. This second loneliness is an existential loneliness that belongs to the basis of our being. It's where we are unfulfilled because only God can fill us. Henri Nouwen realizing loneliness might If you start with community and want to be faithful to community, you have to realize that what binds you together is not mutual compatibility or common tasks, but God. In order to stay in touch with that call to community, we always have to return to solitude. Henri Nouwen community solitude order Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone's face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come. Henri Nouwen smile positive love life The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing... not healing, not curing... that is a friend who cares. Henri Nouwen friend moment grief friendship When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. Henri Nouwen person pain advice friendship
