Thomas Merton Quotes

Though I am always in haste, I am never in a hurry.

There's seldom as much hurry as I used to think there was.

We live in such a noisy world that we need to stop and just let things happen. Let it grow.

One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was from a horse master. He told me to go slow to go fast. I think that applies to everything in life. We live as though there aren't enough hours in the day but if we do each thing calmly and carefully we will get it done quicker and with much less stress.

The older I get, the more relaxed I am.

We live as though there aren't enough hours in the day, but if we do each thing calmly and carefully we will get it done quicker and with much less stress.

Rain is good for me. I feel like I achieve clarity actually when it rains. The longer I have to sit and wait, the clearer my game becomes to me.

Sometimes, some things have to settle, and you have to think about the intention of it.

With each year I experience, I become more relaxed. I know now what is important to listen to and what to ignore. You only get that with age.

The whole world is beautiful, Belgarion' Eriond assured him in response to that unspoken thought. 'You just have to know how to look at it

That's the advantage of having lived sixty-five years. You don't feel the need to be impatient any longer.

You have all the time in the world, but don't waste a moment.

Be quick without hurrying.

I don't worry about things that aren't important.

There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. But doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet. When you are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed, though you will still get the same soaking. This understanding extends to everything.

Before there was a proper understanding and a sense of God's presence, the idea that everything would one day end was utterly desolating.

You can't do traditional work at a modern pace. Traditional work has traditional rhythms. You need calm. You can be busy, but you must remain calm.

Everyone, deep in their hearts, is waiting for the end of the world to come.

Be still, and the world is bound to turn herself inside out to entertain you. Everywhere you look, joyful noise is clanging to drown out quiet desperation.

Oh, one world at a time!

Whatever happens in your life, joyful or painful, do not be swept away by reactivity. Be patient with yourself and don't lose your sense of perspective.

I work more now perhaps because I know that there is so little time left.

I love silence. I seek and create it at every opportunity. I need it to work.

Slow down and remember this: Most things make no difference.

To make money, to gather knowledge, to learn a new skill, to explore new territory, even to get from A to B - for all these things you need time. For almost everything you need time, except for one thing: to embrace the present moment.