Thursday October 16th, 2008

“To live content with small means;
to seek elegance rather than luxury,
and refinement rather than fashion;
to be worthy, not respectable,
and wealthy, not rich;
to study hard, think quietly, talk frankly;
to listen to stars and birds,
to babes and sages,
with open heart;
to bear all cheerfully,
do all bravely,
await occasion, hurry never;
in a word, to let the spiritual,
unbidden and unconscious
grow up through the common:
this is to be my symphony.”

William Henry Channing, 1810-1884

Provided by Mary