“For me, trees have always been the most penetrating preachers. I revere them when they live in tribes and families, in forests and groves. And even more I revere them when they stand alone. They are like lonely persons. Not like hermits who have stolen away out of some weakness, but like great, solitary men, like Beethoven and Nietzsche. In their highest boughs the world rustles, their roots rest in infinity; but they do not lose themselves there, they struggle with all the force of their lives for one thing only: to fullfil themselves according to their own laws, to build up their own form, to represent themselves. Nothing is holier, nothing is more exemplary than a beautiful, strong tree. When a tree is cut down and reveals its naked death-wound to the sun, one can read its whole history in the luminous, inscribed disk of its trunk: in the rings of its years, its scars, all the struggle, all the suffering, all the sickness, all the happiness and prosperity stand truly written, the narrow years and the luxurious years, the attacks withstood, the storms endured. And every young farmboy knows that the hardest and noblest wood has the narrowest rings, that high on the mountains and in continuing danger the most indestructible, the strongest, the ideal trees grow.
Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth. They do not preach learning and precepts, they preach, undeterred by particulars, the ancient law of life."
Herman Hesse
- Bäume. Betrachtungen und Gedichte
Yesterday, I was challenged by MarieMathilda to take on the ‘Three Day Quote Challenge’. As this is one of those fun things that you can do all sorts of things with, I am happy and excited to accept the challenge.
The rules of this challenge are simple:
Post three consecutive days.
You can pick one or three quotes per day.
Challenge three different bloggers per day.
Before I post my selection for quote of the day, I would love to nominate:
Have fun with the quote and the challenge, and thanks again to MarieMathilda for the nomination!
The Quote
“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.”
― Gautama Buddha, Sayings of Buddha
The Buddha is a great source for quotes about how me make choices in life, providing great insight rather than a prescriptive recipe. This one is no exception, as it provides for contemplation and introspection, which can fill us with wisdom.
“My heart is warm with the friends I make,
And better friends I’ll not be knowing,
Yet there isn’t a train I wouldn’t take,
No matter where it’s going.”
– Edna St. Vincent Millay, The Selected Poetry
THE 3 DAY QUOTE CHALLENGE
This is the final day of the 3-day quote challenge that I was given by Mysticalwriter. First of all thank you for given me the challenge. As you can tell, I stuck to my plan of using photos to lead me to quotes.
Today’s quote is from American poet Edna St. Vincent Millay; her poetry has always stuck a chord with me. These lines are a perfect description of life’s journey, which ties back to the image.
HERE ARE THE RULES:
One quote a day for three days. They can be your quotes or quotes from other people. Post one a day for three days and nominate three bloggers per post. Also, thank the person that nominated you.
Chapman Falls in Devil’s Hopyard State Park, East Haddam, CT.
“When I was walking in the mountains with the Japanese man and began to hear the water, he said, ‘What is the sound of the waterfall?’ ‘Silence,’ he finally told me.”
– Jack Gilbert, Collected Poems
The 3 Day Quote Challenge
This is the second day of the 3-day quote challenge that I was given by Mysticalwriter. First of all thank you for given me the challenge. My plan is to use one of my photos each day and find some quote to go with the photo.
Today’s quote is from American poet Jack Gilbert. I like it for its simple depth and zen quality.
Here are the rules:
One quote a day for three days. They can be your quotes or quotes from other people. Post one a day for three days and nominate three bloggers per post. Also, thank the person that nominated you.
“The cow is of the bovine ilk; one end is moo, the other milk.”
– Ogden Nash, Freewheeling.
The 3 Day Quote Challenge
This is the first day of the 3-day quote challenge that I was given by Mysticalwriter. First of all thank you for given me the challenge. My plan is to use one of my photos each day and find some quote to go with the photo.
Today’s quote is from one of my favorite light-versed poets, Ogden Nash; his wit is always a lot of fun!
Here are the rules:
One quote a day for three days. They can be your quotes or quotes from other people. Post one a day for three days and nominate three bloggers per post. Also, thank the person that nominated you.
Dutch goes the Photo! 