Thomas Merton

A monk should not have a girl friend
Prayer
Payer should be in a state where we are most ourselves (my wording)
Prayer is an expression of who we are — a living incompleteness.
Inner Peace
We are not at peace with others because we are not at peace with ourselves.
On Identity
To be a saint means to be myself.
On Contemplation
The deepest level of communication is not communication, but communion.
On Love
Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone.
On Letting Go
Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm, and harmony.
On God’s Presence
God is present in our everyday lives, whether we notice Him or not.
On Humility
Pride makes us artificial; humility makes us real.
On Nonviolence
Nonviolence is not a method but a way of life.
On Trust
The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves.
On Awakening
We must make the choices that enable us to fulfill the deepest capacities of our real selves.