Three Precious Things ~ Lao Tzu

“I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.”

― Lao Tzu

More at  http://www.manybooks.net/titles/laotzuetext95taote10.html (Free e-book kindle)

Simplicity is Forgetfulness of Self ~ Britain Yearly Meeting

"The heart of Quaker ethics is summed up in the word 'simplicity'. Simplicity is forgetfulness of self and remembrance of our humble status as waiting servants of God. Outwardly, simplicity is shunning superfluities of dress, speech, behaviour, and possessions, which tend to obscure our vision of reality. Inwardly, simplicity is spiritual detachment from the things of this world as part of the effort to fulfil the first commandment: to love God with all of the heart and mind and strength.

The testimony of outward simplicity began as a protest against the extravagance and snobbery which marked English society in the 1600s. In whatever forms this protest is maintained today, it must still be seen as a testimony against involvement with things which tend to dilute our energies and scatter our thoughts, reducing us to lives of triviality and mediocrity.

Simplicity does not mean drabness or narrowness but is essentially positive, being the capacity for selectivity in one who holds attention on the goal. Thus simplicity is an appreciation of all that is helpful towards living as children of the Living God."

More at   http://qfp.quakerweb.org.uk/

Hay Quaker ~ One Year On

The Hay Quaker Blog is one year old!

In that year 484 posts and 27,808 page views!

I would like to thank all of you that have been readers, regular or occasional, and all those who have given me encouragement with their comments. In particular I would like to thank all those who have provided links to this site from their own blogs and websites.

The blog is not just used by the Quakers and Unitarians who have provided most of the material but by Anglicans, Catholics, Mennonites, Methodists, Jews, Pagans, atheists and others. Thank you!

I love to exchange views with readers of Hay Quaker so, if you do not do so already, please follow me on one of the following. I will be pleased to welcome you! (Click to the links)

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These are the five most popular posts from the year ~

Being Useful ~ Leo Tolstoy
Stare us in the Face ~ William Penn
Be Anything or Nothing ~ Susan B Anthony
Personal Revolution~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
To Live the Simple Life ~ Rufus M. Jones

And if I can add my own personal favorite to that list it would be ~
Escape Like Squirrels ~ D.H. Lawrence

As the blog is so large you may need to search for what you want. The search engine, provided by Blogger in the top left hand corner is of limited use, or try using Google search with the words of your search followed by "Hay Quaker".

Thank you all once again!

Things that Startle You ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

“For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.” 

― F. Scott Fitzgerald

More at  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._Scott_Fitzgerald

Free e-books / Kindle F.Scott Fitzgerald books http://www.manybooks.net/authors/fitzgeraldf.html

The State of Our Own Being ~ David Lapin

"So as we observe the state of the nation and the world, see their progress and their struggle, we can and we should observe the state of our own being. Not only in terms of how much more we are doing, observing and learning, but also in terms of how much more deeply and sensitively we are living."

Rabbi David Lapin (for Rosh Hashanah)

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

Every Struggle is a Victory ~ Helen Keller

“For, after all, every one who wishes to gain true knowledge must climb the Hill Difficulty alone, and since there is no royal road to the summit, I must zigzag it in my own way. I slip back many times, I fall, I stand still, I run against the edge of hidden obstacles, I lose my temper and find it again and keep it better, I trudge on, I gain a little, I feel encouraged, I get more eager and climb higher and begin to see the widening horizon. Every struggle is a victory. One more effort and I reach the luminous cloud, the blue depths of the sky, the uplands of my desire.”

― Helen Keller

Helen Keller's home "Ivy Green" Joseph Baker 

More at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Keller#Political_activities

Free e-book - Kindle Helen Keller Autobiography http://www.manybooks.net/titles/kellerheetext00kelle10.html

Part of My Fabric ~ Rita Williams

"To me, the core belief of Quakerism, as far as I can see and having become a Quaker later in life, is that there’s a little piece of God in all of us. It gives an equality to everyone and diminishes the thought that people are better than they are. That to me is the important thing. I didn't know I felt that way until I was introduced to Quakerism, but I think it always was part of my fabric, of the way I felt. I didn’t have it in words so much as I felt it." 

–Rita Williams

More at http://downingtownfriendsmeeting.org/talkingwithfriends.htm
Artist Hannah Walis (perhaps a onetime student at Ackworth Quaker School?)