Author Archives: Laura Dobson

“Hope is a crushed stalkBetween clenched fingersHope is a bird’s wingBroken by a stone.Hope is a word in a tuneless ditty –A word whispered with the wind,A dream of forty acres and a mule,A cabin of one’s own and a moment to rest,A name and place for one’s childrenAnd children’s children at last . .Continue reading “Thought for the day, Thursday 3rd October”

International Day of Non-Violence “Worship God by reverencing the human soul as God’s chosen sanctuary. Revere it in yourselves, revere it in others, and labor to carry it forward… Go forth to respect the rights, and seek the true, enduring welfare of all within your influence. Carry with you the conviction that to trample onContinue reading “Thought for the day, Wednesday 2nd October”

“The greatest blessing is to be near good, wise, kindhearted friends. We can’t be happy unless we have a sane, healthy space within us and around us. We need a habitat this is beautiful and nourishing, one that gives us the safety and freedom we need.. Our community can be a family that sustains us.Continue reading “Thought for the day, Tuesday 1st October”

“When a state declares war on individuals, that means that something is wrong with that state. Then we have to find another concept of sanctuary. What is it? Here again I come to my Jewish tradition, and with delight I discover that when we speak of sanctuary in the Jewish tradition, it refers to humanContinue reading “Thought for the day, Monday 30th September”

Feast of St Michael and All Angels “I have refused to livelocked in the orderly house ofreasons and proofs.The world I live in and believe inis wider than that. And anyway,what’s wrong with Maybe? You wouldn’t believe what once ortwice I have seen. I’ll justtell you this:only if there are angels in your head willContinue reading “Thought for the day, Sunday 29th September”

“Tell your story.Shout it. Write it.Whisper it if you have to.But tell it.Some won’t understand it.Some will outright reject it.But many willthank you for it.And then the mostmagical thing will happen.One by one, voices will startwhispering, ‘Me, too.’And your tribe will gather.And you will neverfeel alone again.” L. R. Knost

“One night in the desert, my feet became fettered with sleep. A camel-driver awoke me, saying: “Arise; since you heed not the sound of the bell, perhaps you desire to be left behind! I, like you, would sleep awhile, but the desert stretches ahead. How will you reach the journey’s end if you sleep whenContinue reading “Thought for the day, Friday 27th September”

“Go, go, go, said the bird: human kindCannot bear very much reality.Time past and time futureWhat might have been and what has beenPoint to one end, which is always present.” From Burnt Norton by T S Eliot (1888 – 1965), born on this day

“Never be afraid. Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion, against injustice and lying and greed.” William Faulkner (1897 – 1962), born on this day

“For what it’s worth: it’s never too late.. to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it.Continue reading “Thought for the day, Tuesday 24th September”