If I have something I want to say that is too difficult for adults to swallow, then I will write it in a book for children. Madeleine L'Engle More Quotes by Madeleine L'Engle More Quotes From Madeleine L'Engle How do we teach a child our own, or those in a classroom to have compassion: to allow people to be different; to understand that like is not equal; to experiment; to laugh; to love; to accept the fact that the most important questions a human being can ask do not have or need answers. Madeleine L'Engle compassion children people That's the way things come clear. All of a sudden. And then you realize how obvious they've been all along. Madeleine L'Engle understanding way knowledge There are forces working in the world as never before in the history of mankind for standardization, for the regimentation of us all, or what I like to call making muffins of us, muffins all like every other muffin in the muffin tin. This is the limited universe, the drying dissipating universe that we can help our children to avoid by providing them with ‘explosive material capable of stirring up fresh life endlessly'. Madeleine L'Engle tin children world Stories are able to help us to become more whole, to become Named. And Naming is one of the impulses behind all art; to give a name to the cosmos, we see despite all the chaos. Madeleine L'Engle names giving art I believe that good questions are more important than answers, and the best children's books ask questions, and make the readers ask questions. And every new question is going to disturb someone's universe. Madeleine L'Engle believe book children I don't understand it any more than you do, but one thing I've learned is that you don't have to understand things for them to be. Madeleine L'Engle childrens-book children-book ive-learned As Emmanuel, Cardinal Suhard says, "To be a witness does not consist in engaging in propaganda, nor even in stirring people up, but in being a living mystery. It means to live in such a way that one's life would not make sense if God did not exist. Madeleine L'Engle god mean people Life, with its rules, its obligations, and its freedoms, is like a sonnet: You're given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself. - Mrs. Whatsit Madeleine L'Engle given form writing I've got a sweater." Ben pulled off his coat and held it out for her. "Here." "Thanks, Ben. It's lovely and warm." Then she said, "Ben, I-- I can tell you how I feel about-- about everything. I think you're the best friend I've ever had. I-- I'd lie down and die for you if you wanted me to." "Honey," Ben said. "When I get you to lie down for me it won't be to die. Madeleine L'Engle sweaters lying thinking We can't take any credit for our talents. It's how we use them that counts. Madeleine L'Engle attitude integrity life Meg, when people don't know who they are, they are open either to being Xed, or Named Madeleine L'Engle meg knows people We are all strangers in a strange land, longing for home, but not quite knowing what or where home is. We glimpse it sometimes in our dreams, or as we turn a corner, and suddenly there is a strange, sweet familiarity that vanishes almost as soon as it comes... Madeleine L'Engle dream home sweet I suspect that in every good marriage there are times when love seems to be over. Madeleine L'Engle suspects good-marriage very-good A mystic is a person who sees the facts as inadequate. Madeleine L'Engle mystic persons facts Plato spoke of the necessity for divine madness in the poet. It is a frightening thing to open oneself to this strange and dark side of the divine; it means letting go our sane self control, that control which gives us the illusion of safety. But safety is only an illusion, and letting it go is part of listening to the silence, and to the spirit. Madeleine L'Engle plato letting-go mean Man is; it matters to him; this is terrifying unless it matters to God, too, because this is the only possible reason we can matter to ourselves. Madeleine L'Engle matter reason men our country in general assumes that "the pursuit of happiness" really means "the pursuit of pleasure" and that therefore pleasure is the greatest good. Madeleine L'Engle pursuit-of-happiness mean country She began to feel the sense of wonderful elation that always came to her when beauty took hold of her and made her forget her fears. Madeleine L'Engle elation wonderful forget No long-term marriage is made easily, and there have been times when I've been so angry or so hurt that I thought my love would never recover. And then, in the midst of near despair, something has happened beneath the surface. A bright little flashing fish of hope has flicked silver fins and the water is bright and suddenly I am returned to a state of love again - till next time. Madeleine L'Engle wedding hurt long At Tara in this fateful hour, I place all Heaven with its power, And the sun with its brightness, And the snow with its whiteness, And the fire with all the strength it hath, And the lightning with its rapid wrath, And the winds with their swiftness along their path, And the sea with its deepness, And the rocks with their steepness, And the earth with its starkness: All these I place, By God's almighty help and grace Between myself and the powers of darkness! Madeleine L'Engle rocks wrath fire
