Today, the first day of spring, I found I had two editions of this book. This is the older one. As I begin a new season of life, I hope to follow the excellent suggestions for the prayer of the heart here. "Flee from the world, be silent and pray always," were words spoken long ago to the Roman aristocrat Arsenius when he asked how to be saved. Priest Henri Nouwen tells us in this short, simple book. "Solitude, silence and unceasing prayer" are the core concepts of the ancient Christian spirituality of the desert. At just under 100 pages, this book is easy to read though at first I had to get through the resistance I felt to the fact that these short chapters are essentially addressed to ministers. I am only a lay Christian. I'm happy now to have moved through the resistance. This is a helpfu read with great ideas for a better prayer life. What Nouwen says about the prayer of the heart is so essential and simple. I need to adopt it, to simplify my life to it. Reading the chapters on silence, I felt particularly stricken. This was written 30 years ago, before the widespread use of cell phones and technology and the deep damage these have caused to the human community.

On the first day of spring, this book is on its way to grant a wish in beautiful Coronado.

I have actually read this book in the past year. It was a library book and had to be returned. I'm looking forward to re-reading this, thinking a bit more on the ideas within the pages and then sharing with my friends!

This is such a good book to read and re-read. Just finished a re-read!

Passing on a few boxes of books.