Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone – we find it with another.
Thomas Merton
Along with Saint Thomas Aquinas, another spiritual person I connect deeply with is Thomas Merton. My friend Jessica at Ascending the Hills connects with Merton as well. In fact, I seem to recall when I first became acquainted with Jessica it was through a Thomas Merton column. Called:
Smaller World Bigger Peace, Jessica wrote the column in 2011. If that wasn’t the first time I discovered her it wasn’t too much before. I’ve discussed Thomas Merton here a couple of times previously as well. I appreciate much of his life and the quote above particularly resonates.
To be loved and to love is what we all want. Merton is right when he says:
We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone.
We need companionship.
We need to know that we are wanted.
We need to know that we are loved.
A little odd this quote coming from Merton as later in his life he shut himself off from the world, becoming almost hermit like. Reading the quote attributed to Merton only convinces me further of the importance of that slippery feeling that is love. Having seen the quote before, I wonder now whether Merton somewhere in his soul regretted the life he chose. Maybe he wasn’t consciously aware that he could have chosen another life.
Sometimes when we communicate without thinking is when our truth emerges. Understanding what I know about Merton however leads me to reconsider. From an early age, Merton knew the path he wanted to travel, knew The Gift he was given. As with everyone however, perhaps there were times in his life when he may have thought about the road not travelled, the path not crossed. I think we all have thought about what may have been at some point during our many incarnations. For those of us who KNEW we chose correctly however, those thoughts are fleeting.
Are you one of those fortunate enough to have chosen correctly?
Be Happy! Be Well! Be Positive!
Blessings to you!
—
Chris
