Slowing down can be hard at times, but without having a heart of solitude can we really be present as we minister or serve others in our community?
"Without the solitude of heart, the intimacy of friendship, marriage and community life cannot be creative. Without the solitude of heart, our relationship with other easily become needy and greedy, sticky and clinging, dependent and sentimental, exploitative and parasitic, because without the solitude of heart we cannot experience the others as different from ourselves but only as people who can be used for the fulfillment of our own, often hidden needs." ( Henri J. M. Nouwen "Reaching Out: The Three Movements of The Spiritual Life", pg. 43)
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