"Although the desire to be useful can be a sign of mental and spiritual health in our goal-oriented society, it can also become the source of a paralyzing lack of self-esteem....When we start being too impressed by the results of our work, we slowly come to the erroneous conviction that life is one large scoreboard where someone is listing the points to measure our worth....In solitude we become aware that our worth is not the same as our usefulness....When you are able to create a lonely place in the middle of your actions and concerns, your successes and failures slowly can lose some of their power over you. For then your love for this world can merge with a compassionate understanding of its illusions."
Henri Nouwen, Out of Solitude
thank you for this paraphrase. i read a lecture by rudolph steiner on making your ideas your ideals last night, that was much to the same affect. x
ReplyDeleteOh, that old puritanical need to be productive -- it's a tough one, isn't it? Balance, balance . . .
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
G
"Puritanical" - an interesting choice of word, Gigi.
DeleteWhat a great passage! And, how I needed to read it today. Sometimes blogging leads me to feel inadequate--so many people "out there" doing so many creative, outstanding, productive things.
ReplyDeleteSusan, you are right! I feel the same. I have had to realize that I don't have the same levels of energy or whatever that some others do. But I still like to read those blogs, because I think it's better to have a good example before you, even if you can't attain to it.
DeleteSuch a great quote, and much needed for me this lent.
ReplyDelete