.
.
Suppose that my “poverty” be a hunger for spiritual riches:
suppose that by pretending to empty myself, pretending to be silent,
I am really trying to cajole God into enriching me with some experience
— what then?
.
Then everything becomes a distraction.
All created things interfere with my quest for some special experience.
I must shut them out, or they will tear me apart.
.
What is worst — I, myself am distraction.
But, unhappiest of all — if my prayer is centered in myself,
if it seeks only an enrichment of my own self,
my prayer will be my greatest potential distraction.
.
Full of my own curiosity,
I have eaten of the tree of Knowledge and
torn myself away from myself and God.
.
I am left rich and alone and nothing can assuage my hunger:
everything I touch turns into distraction.
.
~ Thomas Merton
from Thoughts In Solitude
sketch by the author
thanks to http://rosemarieberger.com
.
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