Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Henri Nouwen: Gift of a Free Space

When we think back to the places

where we felt most at home,


we quickly see that it was where


our hosts gave us the precious freedom


to come and go on our own terms


and did not claim us for their own needs.


Only in a free space can re-creation take place


and new life begin.


Henri Nouwen

Source: I cannot locate the book where this was first published but the themes of hospitality and freedom are in so many of Nouwen’s writings. I would be grateful if someone could provide the reference for this wonderful statement.

Dr. Geoff Pound

Image: “Only in a free space can re-creation take place and new life begin.”

Related:
Henri Nouwen: The Wounded Healer, Stories for Speakers and Writers
Staying Alive when No One is Waiting, Stories for Speakers and Writers