I Dont' Know ~ Rebecca James Hecking

"I don’t know (and I doubt anyone does) how the Earth will look a hundred or a thousand years from now, but I do think it’s fair to say that biological diversity will be diminished, and long-term damage will still be very much in evidence.  Those of us who care even a little bit fall somewhere along the road from denial to acceptance, although we may not experience the stages in quite such a neat linear package since the object of our grief isn’t a person who has died, but rather a planet in a state of decline (for now).  I find myself at times bouncing around the various stages, depending on the latest bit of (mostly bad, but occasionally good) news. I have moments when I am filled with militant, righteous anger, and others when I am simply sad. I also have moments of serenity and peace, accepting what is."

~ Rebecca James Hecking

More at  http://rebeccahecking.com/
Artwork by Annie Day http://www.annieday.com.au/#!animalia/c1dg3

A Radical Change ~ Jon Krakauer

“Make a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which you may previously never have thought of doing, or been too hesitant to attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservation, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future."

~ Jon Krakauer

More at  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Krakauer

Artwork From Ethel Spowers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethel_Spowers

Be Sure to Keep It ~ Isaac Penington

"There is that near you, which will guide you; oh! wait for it, and be sure to keep to it…"

~ Isaac Penington

More at  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Penington_(Quaker)

Artwork from the outstanding heritage of Alfred Bestall http://rupertbear.co.uk/bestall_12.html

Never Can Forget ~ Dinah Craik

“Forgotten? No, we never do forget:
We let the years go; wash them clean with tears,
Leave them to bleach out in the open day,
Or lock them careful by, like dead friends' clothes,
Till we shall dare unfold them without pain,—
But we forget not, never can forget.”

~ Dinah Craik

More at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinah_Craik
Artwork from Hanneke Benadé http://www.artprintsa.com/hanneke-benade.html

Power to Sooth and Charm ~ Walter Rose

"It is in the workshop and at the bench that an insight into the soul of wood craftsmanship can be truly gained. There are tools, there is the wood – rude planks, ungarnished, their surface scored with the saw. Between them, and without which each is useless, must come the soul and spirit of the designer and craftsman; the deft hands prompted by an alert mind; the knowledge attained only through years of study and service; the creative instinct and ability that will, by the correct use of the tools, transform the mere plank into a thing of usefulness and beauty – possibly a joy for ever… It was at the lathe, when a youth, that I first realised the charm of line, the contour that flows continuously on, diminishing and enlarging, though separated by ornamental members… Those who have studied woodcraft for half a century find themselves still learning and quite unable to pack all their knowledge into a nutshell for the convenience of a beginner. The training is not that of the university; it is, however, quite as exacting in its own way and so merits equal recognition and respect, and it is encouraging to note that this idea is slowly gaining ground. The woodworkers of a century ago added to their carpentry the dignity of craft; this is why the examples of their handiwork that remain are treasured. Let it not be assumed that it is merely because such work is old that it is appreciated so highly. Even a slight study will reveal the artist mind that prompted the hands, the perception that had grasped the principles of design, the certain knowledge in its decisive finish. There is the secret of its permanent inspiration, its power to soothe and charm."

~ Walter Rose

More at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=008-walter-rose&cid=-1#-1

Artwork by Frans Mortelmans http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frans_Mortelmans

Vulnerable and Risky ~ Britain Yearly Meeting

"Our processes are precious but also fragile, vulnerable and risky. They take time, they can cause discomfort, and they can frustrate us. We sometimes make decisions without fully knowing where they will take us. Sometimes we get things wrong, and we must be willing to learn from our mistakes. Our struggles with discernment may not easily be resolved, but these very struggles can bring us blessings. We need not be afraid of confronting issues where the way forward is not clear or where Friends are not in unity. We trust in that Spirit which guides us into all Truth. Thomas Kelly describes this trust as 'walking with a smile into the dark'. "

Epistle from Britain Yearly Meeting Gathering 2013

More at https://www.quaker.org.uk/epistle-britain-yearly-meeting-2013

Artwork from Cecil Buller http://cybermuse.gallery.ca/cybermuse/enthusiast/thirties/gallery_of_e.jsp?iartistid=791

Good and Fruitful Account ~ Caroline Stephen

"The amount of solitude which is attainable or would be wholesome in the case of any individual life is a matter which each of us must judge for himself.…A due proportion of solitude is one of the most important conditions of mental health. Therefore if it be our lot to stand apart from those close natural ties by which life is for most people shaped and filled, let us not be in haste to fill the gap; let us not carelessly or rashly throw away the opportunity of entering into that deeper and more continual acquaintance with the unseen and eternal things which is the natural and great compensation for the loss of easier joys. The loneliness which we rightly dread is not the absence of human faces and voices — it is the absence of love…Our wisdom therefore must lie in learning not to shrink from anything that may lie in store for us, but so to grasp the master key of life as to be able to turn everything to good
and fruitful account."

~ Caroline Stephen

More at http://quaker.org/fqa/types/t21-woolf.html

Artwork from Linden Dean http://www.lindendeanart.com/index.htm