Thursday, October 1, 2015

Gold Leaves

Lo! I am come to autumn,

When all the leaves are gold;

Grey hairs and golden leaves cry out

The year and I are old.

Now a great thing in the street

Seems any human nod,

Where shift in strange democracy

The million masks of God.

In youth I sought the gold flower

Hidden in wood or wold,

But I am come to autumn,

When all the leaves are gold.

— G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936)

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Wishes

I wish you your heart’s desire.

The things for which we wish are the things by which our lives may best be judged. For wishes shape the character and largely determine the life. As wishes become stronger they develop into purpose — and purpose grows into determination, and determination becomes destiny. What can stand between an ardent nature and its supreme desire? The two will find each other out in spite of all opposing circumstances. Only by training ourselves to noble wishes can we keep the character noble.

Love, purpose, religion itself, are but wishes grown to virtues. And wishes may grow to be the wings which will bear a soul to heaven.

I wish you your heart's desire

Though I know not if it be fame,

I wish it may draw you higher

And give you a loftier aim;

But the light of ambition's fire

Is naught but a meteor flame.

— Martha Capps Oliver (born 1845)