A Note from Mother

From Gumnickopedia

Appeared in the Souvenir Booklet from Gumnick Family Reunion 2006. (Was this in the Gumnick Primer from Gumnick Family Reunion 1995?)

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Life Is Short and We Have Not Too Much Time

—Henri-Frederic Amiel (1885)

Life is short and we have not too much time
for gladdening the hearts of those
who are traveling the dark way with us.
Oh, be swift to love! Make haste to be kind.^[1]

I wish I had said that. It expresses so well my wish for you all, my family. Always remain friends, keeping in touch with one another. Help each other and always forgive. Remember—it is possible to love completely without complete understanding.

One of my favorite mentors said:

“Do not pay for easy lives. Pray to be stronger. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for powers equal to your task. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle but you shall be a miracle. Every day you shall wonder at yourself, at the goodness of life that has come to you by the grace of God.”

Keep the faith!

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Editor’s note

I searched for the “Do not pray for easy lives” quotation at left and found this source:

Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but you shall be the miracle.

—Phillips Brooks, U.S. Episcopal bishop (1835–1893)^[2]