Most of the basic truths of life sound absurd at first hearing. Elizabeth Goudge More Quotes by Elizabeth Goudge More Quotes From Elizabeth Goudge We all of us need to be toppled off the throne of self, my dear," he said. "Perched up there the tears of others are never upon our own cheek. Elizabeth Goudge pridecompassionself In my opinion, too much attention to weather makes for instability of character. Elizabeth Goudge weatherattentioncharacter There's much that goes to the makin' of a man or woman into somethin' better than a brute beast, but there's three things in chief, an' they're the places where life sets us down, an' the folks life knocks us up against, an' -- not the things ye get, but the things ye don't get. Elizabeth Goudge beastthreemen One is seldom unchanged by the death of those one loves. It gives me a deeper knowledge of them, and so of oneself in regard to them. Elizabeth Goudge deeperone-lovegiving The lovers of life, they are children at heart always in their wonder and delight, but they do not grab. Elizabeth Goudge passionheartchildren Humanity can be roughly divided into three sorts of people - those who find comfort in literature, those who find comfort in personal adornment, and those who find comfort in food. Elizabeth Goudge humanitycomfortpeople [Salvation] is a curious process of divine burglary. The first thing to be wrested from one by a God who said 'Thou shalt not steal' is one's good opinion of one's self. Elizabeth Goudge opinionselffirsts He grinned at her, and she grinned at him, and it seemed to Maria that suddenly the sun came out. Elizabeth Goudge sun He had discovered that the choice between self-love or love of something other than self offers no escape from suffering either way, it is merely a choice between two woundings, of the pride or of the heart. Elizabeth Goudge prideselfheart Acting a part is not always synonymous with lying; it is far often the best way of serving the truth. It is more truthful to act what we should feel if the community is to be well served rather than behave as we actually do feel in our selfish private feelings. Elizabeth Goudge selfishcommunitylying I don't think there's anything more tiring ... than expecting people who don't turn up. Elizabeth Goudge waitingpeoplethinking to know perfect happiness a woman may be a mother, but must be a grandmother. Elizabeth Goudge grandparentmotherperfect Imagination comes from yourself and can deceive you, but vision is a gift from outside yourself - like light striking on your closed eyelids and lifting them to see what's really there. Elizabeth Goudge visionlightimagination [I]f you believe in God omnipresent, then you must believe everything that comes into your life, person or event, must have something of God in it to be experienced and loved; not hated. Elizabeth Goudge hatedeventsbelieve autumn days have a holiness that spring lacks ... They are like old serene saints for whom death has lost its terror. Elizabeth Goudge autumnsaintspring I have known him nearly all my life, and I am going to marry him, so that there won't ever be a time when I shan't know him. Elizabeth Goudge knownknows All the best things are seen first of all at a far distance. Elizabeth Goudge distanceperspectivefirsts What is the distinguishing mark of an aristocrat?' she asked him suddenly.'Reverence,' he replied. Elizabeth Goudge reverencemark If you lose your reason, you lose it into the hands of God....It's the only place where anything is safe. And when you're dead it's only what's there you'll have. Nothing else. Elizabeth Goudge safegodhands One was born a certain sort of person, and though by ceasless struggle one might become as nice as that sort of person ever is, one could never become as nice as a nicer sort of person. Elizabeth Goudge nicestrugglemight
