The Restory Retreat Centre

  Wonder "Wonder is the quiet knowing that the world is so much more than what we can see or touch. It is the practice of beholding—not just looking, but letting the beauty before us change us. Wonder is the antidote to the lie that everything is ordinary, that the sacred has abandoned us. Even in the midst of grief, even in the unraveling, wonder reminds us that we are held by something vast and tender." Cole Arthur Riley                 The Conversation Elements From The Conversation Molly down below Music The original is much longer, but Louis Armstrong would have said that this rendition encapsulates beautifully what he wanted to convey.  A Jewish blessing at moments of celebration or wonder:  Blessed are You, Eternal God, Who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this moment of wonder. With love. George & Matilda

Verwondering "Wonder is the quiet knowing that the world is so much more than what we can see or touch. It is the practice of beholding—not just looking, but letting the beauty before us change us. Wonder is the antidote to the lie that everything is ordinary, that the sacred has abandoned us. Even in the midst of grief, even in the unraveling, wonder reminds us that we are held by something vast and tender." Cole Arthur Riley                 Die Gesprek Elemente Uit Die Gesprek Mily Musiek Die oorspronlike is veel langer, maar Louis Armstrong sou sê dat hierdie weergawe baie mooi saamvat wat hy wou oordra. 'n Joodse seën wat saamgaan met verwondering:  Geseënd is U, Ewige God, wat ons aan die lewe gehou het, ons onderhou het, en ons tot by hierdie oomblik van verwondering gebring het. Met liefde. George & Matilda

I don't know whether it's an Irish nursery rhyme, limerick or short poem, but it goes like this: There once were two cats of Kilkenny. Each thought there was one cat too many. So they fought and they fit, And they scratched and they bit, 'Til except for their nails, And the tips of their tails, Instead of two cats, There weren't any! We definitely do not have the two cats of Kilkenny. In the course of an ordinary day there is peace and harmony in the house with each of them sleeping in his or her own sunny spot. From time to time those sunny spots can even be very close to each other without any problem. But there are days when Patat is so little-brotherish that Mily becomes vocal the moment he enters the room. And he can be quite devious in the way he taunts her – innocently lying in the sun close to her and then stretching specifically in her direction to prod her in the side. It is just enough to be a nuisance and too little to be seen as harassment. However, sh...

“Francis called all creatures, no matter how small by the name of brother and sister; because he knew they had the same source as himself.”                                                     Saint Bonaventure's Life of St Francis "If humankind could have known God without the world, God would never have created the world."                                                     Meister Eckhart "In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!"                                                   Colossians 3:11 ...

Photograph by Elliott Erwitt, New York City 1953 We cannot attain the presence of God because we're already totally in the presence of God. What's absent is awareness.                                                                                          David G. Benner In a previous post ( Klein Kaper ) Matilda wrote about the new arrival in the household, the kitten named Patat (Patat being Afrikaans for sweet potato and commonly used as a term of endearment especially where children are concerned). Lately he is often called Tappet as well (Tappet is an English word used in Afrikaans to describe a person somewhat rough around the edges. For some reason “tappet” just does not have a similar meaning in English). Since Matilda introduced him he has g...