"Keep a vigil. Stay awake in the garden. Hold to the light. Revere goodness and integrity and truth. And most of all, let us teach these things to our children. We must counter the horrors of a world that doesn’t care: a system that spews darkness, media that spew violence, governments that spew apathy, and industries that spew poison." - Marianne Williamson

I got this in my mailbox today and thought I would share. I really liked it and hope it is not considered proselytizing.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2001

Answers

diane I really like this, Hold to the light. that's really what we must do, there is so much bad in the world but if we focus on that what good does it do, but if we focus on what is good and right and beautiful then we will bring more of these to the world. We have friends who come to our home and gardens and say that they find their peace here, often I have wondered what it was, now I think that it is because in our little world here we are focused on the blooming flowers and the songs of the birds and the moods of the sky. Let the world pass us by with all it's troubles, all is well in this little world beyound the garden gate. Yes I agree with Marianne Williamson, "stay awake in the garden. Hold to the Light" Amen! thank you very much Diane for sharing this one.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2001

Thanks Diane. To speak of love, to abhor violence, to praise character or character building isn't prostheltizing, its just good sense. It's non-stop chapter and verse, harangueing and "preaching" and lecturing that wearies me.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2001

WOW! Good One!

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2001

diane: I liked the quote. And I really don't see it as proselytizing really.

I went to Merriam-Webster Online and found this defintion:

Main Entry: pros·e·ly·tize
Pronunciation: 'prä-s(&-)l&-"tIz
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): -tized; -tiz·ing
Date: 1679
intransitive senses
1 : to induce someone to convert to one's faith
2 : to recruit someone to join one's party, institution, or cause
transitive senses : to recruit or convert especially to a new faith, institution, or cause
- pros·e·ly·ti·za·tion /"prä-s(&-)l&-t&-'zA-sh&n, "prä-s&-"lI-t&- / noun
- pros·e·ly·tiz·er /'prä-s(&-)l&-"tI-z&r/ noun

So, I think you're safe. :-)

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2001

I liked it Diane, and I agreed with Jim and others, that is not proselytizing!

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2001

Jim, thanks for the definition. I am about to keep a dictionary next to the computer because I am finding there are a lot of words that I "thought" I knew the meaning of and I really don't know.

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2001

Yes, one would tend to forget the definition of proselytize on this forum, and for this I am ever so grateful. Great thought diane.

-- Anonymous, April 28, 2001