I don’t have the courage to make a strict rule for myself to search in books for beautiful prayers. That gives me a headache, there are so many of th… - Thérèse of Lisieux

I do not have the courage to force myself to search out beautiful prayers in books. There are so many of them it really gives me a headache! and each prayer is more beautiful than the others. I cannot recite them all and not knowing which to choose, I do like children who do not know how to read, I say very simply to God what I wish to say, without composing beautiful sentences, and He always understands me. For me, prayer is an aspiration of the heart, it is a simple glance directed to heaven, it is a cry of gratitude and love in the midst of trial as well as joy; finally, it is something great, supernatural, which expands my soul and unites me to Jesus.

Comprendí que para llegar a ser santa había que sufrir mucho, buscar siempre lo más perfecto y olvidarse de sí; comprendí que había muchos grados en la perfección y que cada alma [10vº] era libre de responder a las insinuaciones de nuestro Señor, de hacer poco o mucho por Él, en una palabra de elegir entre los sacrificios que Él pide. Entonces como en los días de mi infancia exclamé: «¡Dios mío, “lo elijo todo”. No quiero ser una santa a medias, no me da miedo sufrir por ti, lo único que temo es conservar mi voluntad.

i can nourish myself on nothing but truth

The world's thy ship and not thy home.