Saturday, October 20, 2007

"The Thing About Real Life"

"The thing about real life is that important events don't announce themselves. Trumpets don't blow, drums don't beat to let you know you are going to meet the most important person you've ever met, or read the most important thing you are ever going to read, or have the most important conversation you are ever going to have, or spend the most important week you are ever going to spend. Usually something that is going to change your whole life is a memory before you can stop and be impressed about it . . . ."

--Edith Schaeffer, L'Abri

9 comments:

  1. So true, with one exception. I knew when I was falling in love and that I had met the man I was going to marry. But even though I tried to start writing it down so that I wouldn't forget, my heart couldn't fit on the paper.

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  2. Very nice. I was just thinking about this very thing this week. Some of the events in my life that were the most important, life-altering things, it took me years to realize it.

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  3. Simply lovely...and so true!

    A friend gave me a wall pillow with the following quote on it.
    "Life is not measured by the breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away".

    Blessings

    Grace

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  4. Ah, the wisdom of Edith Schaeffer--so inspiring! Thanks for sharing this!

    I often think of this concept in relation to my children, especially the fact that I don't know what moments are going to be most important in their lives, what conversations will be most impacting, even practically what their first memories will be. To relate to them each day as if this day COULD be one of the most memorable of their young lives is such a challenge, but it propels me onward in my quest to be the kind of mother that God wants me to be for them.

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  5. How insightful, and so true!

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  6. how very true. What excellent writing.

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  7. I really like this excerpt. How do you do it to find such good books?
    I have to admit, I haven't read any books in a long time, only my rereads of Jane Austen books. I mostly read mags. I just don't get the reading the NY times list or others. I want books with substance, with wisdom. So, how does one go about putting together a list of 'must read' books? Well at least now I can have an idea: I'll check "Anna's List"!

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