Leo Tolstoy
I'm taking a short break from writing today to go out to a late lunch with my husband.
In doing so, I want to be mindful and not let myself be distracted by the writing that waits at home.
I'm reminded then of Tolstoy's story, "Three Questions," a story that may be found in Walk In The Light and Twenty-three Tales. (Also retold in a wonderful children's book by Jon J. Muth called The Three Questions.)
In Tolstoy's version, a king wonders, "When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do?"
He finds the answer in an old hermit who says:
"Remember then: there is only one time that is important--Now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power. The most necessary man is he with whom you are, for no man knows whether he will ever have dealings with any one else: and the most important affair is, to do him good, because for that purpose alone was man sent into this life!"
Have a mindful day, everyone. --Theresa
9 comments:
this is wonderful...... judi
Sonette aus dem Portugiesischen
XLIV
Belovèd, thou hast brought me many flowers
Plucked in the garden, all the summer through
And winter, and it seemed as if they grew
In this close room, nor missed the sun and showers.
So, in the like name of that love of ours,
Take back these thoughts which here unfolded too,
And which on warm and cold days I withdrew
From my heart's ground. Indeed, those beds and bowers
Be overgrown with bitter weeds and rue,
And wait thy weeding; yet here's eglantine,
Here's ivy!---take them, as I used to do
Thy flowers, and keep them where they shall not pine.
Instruct thine eyes to keep their colours true,
And tell thy soul, their roots are left in mine.
Elizabeth Barret-Browning, 1850
XLIV
Du hast gewußt mir, mein Geliebter, immer
zu allen Zeiten Blumen herzulegen;
als brauchten sie nicht Sonne und nicht Regen,
gediehen sie in meinem engen Zimmer.
Nun laß mich dir unter dem gleichen Zeichen
die hier erwachsenen Gedanken reichen,
die ich in meines Herzens Jahreszeiten
aufzog und pflückte. In den Beeten streiten
Unkraut und Raute. Du hast viel zu jäten;
doch hier ist Efeu, hier sind wilde Rosen.
Nimm sie, wie ich die deinen nahm, als bäten
sie dich, in deine Augen sie zu schließen.
Und sage deiner Seele, daß die losen
in meiner Seele ihre Wurzeln ließen.
Rainer Maria Rilke, 1908
Thanks for the reminder- the questions- then- back to writing-
ggw07@aol.com
Very wise. :-)
I really like this. Thanks for sharing.
Mary
I love Tolstoy although I haven't read anything by him lately. I tend to re-read the great lit I have on my bookshelves which is more like Lawrence, Stone, Buck, Sheakspear, Mitchell, Knowles, Keller, Elliott, Haley Gibran, Hemingway, Faulkner, Steinbeck....ah the list goes on.
But alas, no Tolstoy. Humpf.
Now I have a good excuse to go buy books.
I love that you are back giving me permission to go buy more books.
Love it.
(shhhhh, don't tell my husband. He is not a fan of owning books, he wants to borrow them. Pishaw, who wants to do that?)
All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love.
Leo Tolstoy
Yea! A lunch date! I haven`t reread "War & Peace" in years. About three months ago I bought a new copy in paperback but the type is so small it`s practically unreadable.
Ahh, the nights!
V
I HATE those books with the small type. Try to find another edition! :-)
That was a very wise hermit.
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