A Magnanimous Way of Living

Do you ever find the truths behind the Charlotte Mason method peering at you in your books through the lives of others? I do. They really aren’t her truths after all, she herself would say so; they were, and always will be, His truths.

“Shelley offers us the key to education when he speaks of ‘understanding that grows bright gazing on many truths.'” ~Vol. 6, p.157

Here are a couple that caught my attention this week…

“‘Green, green forest stretching as far as the eye can see on three sides, rising in mighty billows up the mountains, leaving bare only the rocky tops; high climbing, low dipping forest. A valley, like the trough of the wave of forest green…. In front the trees drop sharply down, like a cliff dropping to the sea, the green, green sea of the forest.’ And the pool, the joy of their ravine, ‘jade-green, clear, wonderful water-green, and when the angels are in a very kind mood they send a blue kingfisher to fish there. Then the pool is something quite too lovely for this everyday earth, and sets one thinking what the pools must be amog the green woods of Paradise. Then, too, it is deep, deep enough for diving, and its floor of clean white sand, the powdered dust of mountains. In this pool we, the holiday children and whoever is up with them, daily turn into water-babies…. If you have troubles, the pool washes them off. Worries are just kissed away.'” ~A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael

“I did not come to Schlonwitz in a glad or hopeful frame of mind…. but then everything turned out quite different from what I had feared. Instead of entering the stuffy world of theological bigotry, I found myself in one which combined much of what I loved and needed, clear theological work in companionship with others, who never let one be wounded by feeling one’s own incompetence, but who made the work a joy; brotherhood under the Word which united us all without respect of person; and at the same time an appreciation of all that gives charm to the fallen creation; music, literature, sport and the beauty of the earth; a magnanimous way of living…” ~one of Bonhoeffer’s ordinands in Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

And last but not least, I love this quote posted by Brandy on the AO FB page this week:

“Another writes: ‘On my arrival at Ambleside I was interviewed by Miss Mason who asked me for what purpose I had come. I replied: “I have come to learn to teach.” Then Miss Mason said: “My dear, you have come here to learn to live.”‘” ~Essex Cholmondley in The Story of Charlotte Mason

Living truths. For ours and the children’s sake.