Relative Sanity, Walls and Thomas Merton
a rainbow watercolour b.thomas witzel
with quote of the day by Thomas Merton
One of the most important tasks today is to clear the atmosphere so that people can understand their plight without hatred, without fury, without desperation, and with the minimum of goodwill.
The illuminated crowd, Montreal
A gentleman at the Tucson court house
A humble and objective seriousness is necessary for the long task of restoring mutual confidence and preparing the way for the necessary work of collaboration in building world peace.
Manzanar internment camp, California
The restoration of a climate of relative sanity is perhaps more important than specific decisions , regarding the morality of this or that strategy, this or that pragmatic policy.
~ Thomas Merton ~
from Seeds of Destruction
Against the wall, University of Tucson
~ photos by bruce witzel ~
through the luminary lens 
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smiling to wise teacher’s
beautiful restoration
efforts, Bruce 🙂
Thomas Merton continues to be relevant across the decades, and maybe now more than ever. I have been to Manzanar, but lately I’ve wanted to return and bring my granddaughters. I hope we can do that before too long. Once again a very thoughtful direction, Bruce. And I really enjoyed your rainbow watercolor. 🙂
Thanks Debra. Yes – Merton, like MLK jr. are two Americans more relevant now than ever before. I continue to be inspired and to contemplate their writings or speeches, to help me make sense and direction in the travail of our times. And may you have a good experience with your granddaughters as you inspire them with your love, understanding, and truth in sync with the moral arc of the universe. Peace, dear Debra.
I was diverted by your image of the monument at Manzanar, and I did a quick look-up. Then I recalled reading a very good book concerning the American/Japanese question at the time of Pearl Harbour – ‘Snow Falling on Cedars’ by David Guterson. Well worth a read.
oh yes Roy – that is an excellent read. So glad that photo triggered your interest. Fran and myself have visited at least 5 Japanese internment camps in Canada an the US over our travels
In terms of good reads, .Last year a “Canada Reads winner” was Forgiveness.. Excellent non-fiction autobiography written by Canadian lawyer Mark Sakamoto….. beginning with his grandfather Ralph Mclean who was captured by the Japanese Army at the beginning of WW2, and his grandmother Mitsue Sakamoto whose family lost everything when they were interned in BC after the attack of Pearl Harbour. …..’stories of of starvation and suffering, outright racism and imprisonment …one that does away with any geopolitical binaries of good and evil.’ Globe and Mail
Thanks for that recommendation Bruce 🙂
May all beings be free from suffering. I visited Manzanar a few years ago. My greatest takeaway was the hope that the humility of “we made a mistake; we won’t do it again” could be a national practice. Still hoping.
To learn from our mistakes and not repeat them…. amen.
Bruce, thanks for the reminder from Thomas Merton of humanity’s way forward out of the hole we’ve dug for ourselves. Peace to you, brother ❤
Change of heart is always possible for us to truly live. Peace to you, Rosaliene 🙂