Author Archives: Laura Dobson

“How significant that the rich, black mud of our dead stream produces the water lily– out of that fertile slime springs this spotless purity! It is remarkable that these flowers which are most emblematical of purity should grow in the mud.” From Henry David Thoreau’s Journal, 1853

“To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroysContinue reading “Thought for the day, Monday 2nd September”

“O God, to whom we pray for truth, be with us in our trembling lest we find it. We fear its light; our lives are full of shadows: what shall we do for shelter when we stand before the brightness of truth? We do not want the truth that troubles us and seeks to saveContinue reading “Thought for the day, Sunday 1st September”

International Day for People of African Descent “i was cold / i was burning up / a child& endlessly weaving garments for the moonwith my tearsI found god in myself& i loved her / i loved her fiercely” Ntozake Shange (1948 – 2018)

“Even broken in spirit as he is, no one can feel more deeply than he does the beauties of nature. The starry sky, the sea, and every sight afforded by these wonderful regions, seems still to have the power of elevating his soul from earth. Such a man has a double existence: he may sufferContinue reading “Thought for the day, Friday 30th August”

“There’s really just one thing I can control: my attitude during the journey, which is what keeps me feeling steady and stable, and what keeps me headed in the right direction.” Chris Hadfield, first Canadian to walk in space, born on this day in 1959

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons ofContinue reading “Thought for the day, Wednesday 28th August”

“even on back roadsI find I have velocityand direction whereI have come fromI’m not quite surewhere I am goingI don’t much care the sign says NirvanaI’m not there thoughI only knowI am somewhere south of therefilled with this feelingand aware of it strangehow I keep leaving behindthe very thingI am looking forbut then life isContinue reading “Thought for the day, Tuesday 27th August”

“Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired… Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.” Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910 – 1997), born on this day

“Stillness is our most intense mode of action. It is in our moments of deep quiet that is born every idea, emotion, and drive which we eventually honor with the name of action. We reach highest in meditation, and farthest in prayer. In stillness every human being is great.” Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990), composerContinue reading “Thought for the day, Sunday 25th August”