"When people show you their boundaries ("I can't do this for you") you feel rejected...part of your struggle is to set boundaries to your own love. O… - Henri Nouwen

Although we tend to think about saints as holy and pious, and picture them with halos above their heads and ecstatic gazes, true saints are much more accessible. They are men and women like us, who live ordinary lives and struggle with ordinary problems. What makes them saints is their clear and unwavering focus on God and God’s people.

We cannot change the world by a new plan, project, or idea. We cannot even change other people by our convictions, stories, advice and proposals, but we can offer a space where people are encouraged to disarm themselves, lay aside their occupations and pre-occupations and listen with attention and care to the voices speaking in their center.

solitude begins with a time and a place for God, and God alone. If we really believe not only that God exists but also that God is actively present in our lives — healing, teaching and guiding — we need to set aside a time and space to give God our undivided attention. (Matt 6:6)