This past week I dug it out for another reread, partly because July 6 was the birthday of my dear, dear, friend, college chum and sorority sister, Maureen Kinney. 7/6/1946-1/29/2005. She gave me the book in 1968, almost 50 years ago.
"The shape of one's life is determined by many things, but I want first of all to be at peace with myself.
I want...to "live in grace" as much ...as possible....an inner harmony, essentially spiritual." (p.23)
"I would like to achieve a state of inner spiritual grace from which I could function and give as I was meant to in the eye of God." (p. 24)
Lindberg goes on to expound on the simplification of life, away from a whole caravan of complications." (p.25) As she wrote of daily demands and balancing acts, her words rang true for me. This is not the life of simplicity* but rather it is the life of multiplicity which the wise men warn us of.....leading us to fragmentation, which does not bring grace but destroys the soul. (p.26-27) Since Lindberg avers that distraction is inherent in a woman's life, (p.28) this condition runs counter to a creative or contemplative life. She decries the dilemma of "remaining whole in the midst of the distractions of life but continues to seek a balance between solitude and communion and between retreat and return."
All of that wisdom in just the first chapter along with an endearing inscription which reads, One of my favorite books, for one of my "most" favorite people. Love, Maureen. What a treasure!
BTW, personally, I found that 2 Corinthians 11:3, helps me sip from a cuppa simplici-TEA as I reread this book. The verse helps me not be beguiled by the subtleties of the world so that nothing will lead me astray from the simplicity and devotion to Christ.
