In Praise of the Useless Life
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Available as an audiobook for the first time ever, Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life invites you to adopt Nouwen as your personal spiritual guide. Each session was carefully prepared by Dr. Michael Christensen, an award-winning professor of Christian ministry and practice, and Dr. Rebecca Laird, who was Nouwen’s student at Yale Divinity School. Like other volumes in The Nouwen Trilogy, this audiobook collects Nouwen’s unpublished homilies, interviews, classes, and speeches, as well as excerpts from his published writings.
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At one of the lowest points in Henri Nouwen’s life, he gave a series of lectures on the importance of following Jesus in an age of anxiety. Drawn from those talks, this new work reveals what sustained Nouwen to remain faithful to the teachings of Jesus and led him to become an icon of compassion and vulnerability. Here, he writes eloquently about calling and purpose, fear and hope. And he explains why - with so many choices available to the 21st-century seeker - the greatest reward for those looking for spiritual direction is rediscovering Jesus’ teaching on love.
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In this powerful audiobook by the acclaimed spiritual leader and best-selling writer, one he calls his "most important", he analyzes the profound spiritual, moral, and political crisis in the contemporary world. He says that he "considers that the decadence of our time has all the faces of mortal peril." His finding is simple: Our world is on the brink of the abyss.
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Why Catholicism
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When world renowned Buddhist writer Stephen Batchelor turned 60, he took a sabbatical from his teaching and turned his attention to solitude, a practice integral to the meditative traditions he has long studied and taught. He aimed to venture more deeply into solitude, discovering its full extent and depth. This beautiful literary collage documents his multifaceted explorations. In a hyperconnected world that is at the same time plagued by social isolation, this book shows how to enjoy the inescapable solitude that is at the heart of human life.
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You are invited into the classroom in which Thomas Merton delivered some of his most impassioned lectures on a timeless topic. In 1962 at Gethsemani Abbey, Thomas Merton taught an extraordinary course on the heart of Benedictine spirituality.
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New Seeds of Comtemplation is one of Thomas Merton's most widely read and best loved books. Christians and non-Christians alike have joined in praising it as a notable successor in the meditative tradition of St. John of the Cross, the Cloud of Unknowing, and the medieval mystics, while others have compared Merton's reflections to those of Thoreau.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Pure holy inspiration!!!
- By Jaime on 03-11-15
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Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life
- By: Henri Nouwen
- Narrated by: Henri Nouwen
- Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 12
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 11
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 11
Available as an audiobook for the first time ever, Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life invites you to adopt Nouwen as your personal spiritual guide. Each session was carefully prepared by Dr. Michael Christensen, an award-winning professor of Christian ministry and practice, and Dr. Rebecca Laird, who was Nouwen’s student at Yale Divinity School. Like other volumes in The Nouwen Trilogy, this audiobook collects Nouwen’s unpublished homilies, interviews, classes, and speeches, as well as excerpts from his published writings.
-
5 out of 5 stars
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Spiritually edifying
- By Tom McGowan on 11-25-19
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Following Jesus
- Finding Our Way Home in an Age of Anxiety
- By: Henri J. M. Nouwen, Richard Rohr, Gabrielle Earnshaw
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 3 hrs and 31 mins
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 97
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At one of the lowest points in Henri Nouwen’s life, he gave a series of lectures on the importance of following Jesus in an age of anxiety. Drawn from those talks, this new work reveals what sustained Nouwen to remain faithful to the teachings of Jesus and led him to become an icon of compassion and vulnerability. Here, he writes eloquently about calling and purpose, fear and hope. And he explains why - with so many choices available to the 21st-century seeker - the greatest reward for those looking for spiritual direction is rediscovering Jesus’ teaching on love.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Life changing application
- By KrisAnn Carlsen on 12-08-19
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The Day Is Now Far Spent
- By: Cardinal Robert Sarah, Nicolas Diat
- Narrated by: Scott Russell
- Length: 15 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 88
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 77
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 76
In this powerful audiobook by the acclaimed spiritual leader and best-selling writer, one he calls his "most important", he analyzes the profound spiritual, moral, and political crisis in the contemporary world. He says that he "considers that the decadence of our time has all the faces of mortal peril." His finding is simple: Our world is on the brink of the abyss.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Why Catholicism
- By John Devere on 10-24-19
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The Art of Solitude
- By: Stephen Batchelor
- Narrated by: Stephen Batchelor
- Length: 5 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 15
When world renowned Buddhist writer Stephen Batchelor turned 60, he took a sabbatical from his teaching and turned his attention to solitude, a practice integral to the meditative traditions he has long studied and taught. He aimed to venture more deeply into solitude, discovering its full extent and depth. This beautiful literary collage documents his multifaceted explorations. In a hyperconnected world that is at the same time plagued by social isolation, this book shows how to enjoy the inescapable solitude that is at the heart of human life.
-
5 out of 5 stars
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Multiple Perspectives on Solitude
- By Douglas C. Bates on 03-03-20
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Thomas Merton on the Twelve Degrees of Humility
- By: Thomas Merton
- Narrated by: Thomas Merton
- Length: 7 hrs and 9 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 42
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 38
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 38
You are invited into the classroom in which Thomas Merton delivered some of his most impassioned lectures on a timeless topic. In 1962 at Gethsemani Abbey, Thomas Merton taught an extraordinary course on the heart of Benedictine spirituality.
-
5 out of 5 stars
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Today, it is hard to find spiritual direction
- By Sunni Baran on 11-15-18
-
New Seeds of Contemplation
- By: Thomas Merton
- Narrated by: Jonathan Montaldo, Sharon Cross
- Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 357
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 312
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 309
New Seeds of Comtemplation is one of Thomas Merton's most widely read and best loved books. Christians and non-Christians alike have joined in praising it as a notable successor in the meditative tradition of St. John of the Cross, the Cloud of Unknowing, and the medieval mystics, while others have compared Merton's reflections to those of Thoreau.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Pure holy inspiration!!!
- By Jaime on 03-11-15
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Thomas Merton on Prayer
- By: Thomas Merton
- Narrated by: Thomas Merton
- Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 27
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 24
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 24
Renew your prayer life with Thomas Merton. Thomas Merton was one of the great spiritual masters: a Trappist monk, profound mystic, and brilliant writer. He inspired men and women from all walks of life with his dedication to prayer and contemplation. In 1967, near the end of his life, Merton gave a powerful set of lectures on prayer to the Sisters of Loretto. He channeled a lifetime full of wisdom, piety, and prayerfulness into these erudite yet down-to-earth talks.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Extraordinarily Relevant
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Meister Eckhart's Living Wisdom
- Indestructible Joy and the Path of Letting Go
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- Narrated by: James Finley
- Length: 6 hrs and 21 mins
- Original Recording
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 168
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 166
The 13th-century mystic Meister Eckhart was the most brilliant Christian scholar of his day, but he was also legendary for the way that he opened listeners to the direct experience of God during his public talks. Today, his written wisdom remains alive as ever, ready to illuminate us. With Meister Eckhart's Living Wisdom, James Finley, one of today's best-known teachers of the Christian contemplative tradition, invites us into Eckhart's insights in the same way that this luminary teacher delighted in sharing them.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Love all of James Finley's works!
- By Lynn Smith on 09-20-17
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The Seven Storey Mountain
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- Length: 2 hrs and 33 mins
- Abridged
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The Seven Storey Mountain is the extraordinary spiritual testament of Thomas Merton (1915-1968), a man who experienced life to its fullest in the world before entering a Trappist monastery. By the end of his life, he had become one of the 20th century's best-known and beloved Christian voices. This autobiography deals...not with what happens to a man, but what happens inside his soul.
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Letter to Audible
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- Length: 15 hrs and 36 mins
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Story5 out of 5 stars 11
This deeply contextual biography centers on the tensions generated by the pope’s attempt to turn the Church away from power and tradition and outwards to engage humanity with God’s mercy. Through battles with corrupt bankers and worldly cardinals, in turbulent meetings and on global trips, history’s first Latin-American pope has attempted to reshape the Church to evangelize the contemporary age. At the same time, he has stirred other leaders’ deep-seated fear that the Church is capitulating to modernity.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent overview of Francis's papal ministry
- By Bill54494 on 11-19-19
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The Bible Is a Catholic Book
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- Length: 4 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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In The Bible Is a Catholic Book, Jimmy Akin shows how the Bible cannot exist apart from the church. In its origins and its formulation, in the truths it contains, in its careful preservation over the centuries, and in the prayerful study and elucidation of its mysteries, Scripture is inseparable from Catholicism. This is fitting, since both come from God for our salvation. If you're a Catholic who sometimes gets intimidated by the Bible, The Bible Is a Catholic Book will help you better understand and take pride in this gift that God gave the world through the church.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent!!! Must read
- By Michael on 10-01-19
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Ways of Prayer: A Desert Father's Wisdom
- By: Thomas Merton
- Narrated by: Thomas Merton
- Length: 5 hrs and 32 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 24
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 21
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 21
Join Thomas Merton in exploring one of the most influential figures in the history of spirituality. Born in the fourth century, Saint John Cassian (AD 360-435) lived when tensions between the traditional and innovative peaked. A monk and theologian, Cassian made the Christian tradition relevant for the needs of his day in his spiritual works. Indeed, his spirituality remains essential today; he influenced Saints Benedict and Ignatius of Loyola, and his works continue to be read worldwide.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Order of listening
- By Joyce on 02-05-18
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The Way of Chuang Tzu (Second Edition)
- By: Thomas Merton
- Narrated by: Greg Chun
- Length: 2 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 88
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 70
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 71
Working from existing translations, Thomas Merton composed a series of his own versions of the classic sayings of Chuang Tzu, the most spiritual of Chinese philosophers. Chuang Tzu, who wrote in the fourth and third centuries BC, is the chief authentic historical spokesperson for Taoism and its founder, Lao Tzu (a legendary character known largely through Chuang Tzu’s writings).
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1 out of 5 stars
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Way of Merton -- Chuang Tzu, not so much
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The Power of Silence
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- By: Robert Cardinal Sarah, Nicolas Diat, Michael J. Miller - translator
- Narrated by: Peter Lawrence
- Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 194
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 167
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 167
In a time when technology penetrates our lives in so many ways and materialism exerts such a powerful influence over us, Robert Cardinal Sarah presents a bold book about the strength of silence. The modern world generates so much noise, he says, that seeking moments of silence has become both harder and more necessary than ever before. Silence is the indispensable doorway to the divine, explains the cardinal in this profound conversation with Nicolas Diat, and he seeks to restore to silence its place of honor and importance.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Life-changing book, Good narration
- By Mountain K9iner on 12-12-18
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The Universal Christ
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- By: Richard Rohr
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
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- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,003
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 870
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Story5 out of 5 stars 858
In his decades as a globally recognized teacher, Richard Rohr has helped millions realize what is at stake in matters of faith and spirituality. Yet Rohr has never written on the most perennially talked about topic in Christianity: Jesus. Most know who Jesus was, but who was Christ? Drawing on scripture, history, and spiritual practice, Rohr articulates a transformative view of Jesus Christ as a portrait of God’s constant, unfolding work in the world.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Don’t read this book if you want to be the same after reading it.
- By Tim Hyatt on 04-27-19
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Thomas Merton on Solitude and Togetherness
- By: Thomas Merton
- Narrated by: Thomas Merton
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 22
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 18
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Story5 out of 5 stars 18
You are invited to take a spiritual journey with Thomas Merton. Originally presented to a group of nuns on a four-day retreat, these moving talks will touch your heart while revealing new pathways for your spiritual growth.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A must read
- By Veronica on 09-18-18
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Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls
- Revealing the Jewish Roots of Christianity
- By: John Bergsma
- Narrated by: Mark Deakins
- Length: 7 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 67
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 60
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 58
From award-winning scholar John Bergsma comes an intriguing audiobook that reveals new insights on the Essenes, a radical Jewish community predating Christianity, whose existence, beliefs, and practices are often overlooked in the annuls of history. Bergsma reveals how this Jewish sect directly influenced the beliefs, sacraments, and practices of early Christianity and offers new information on how Christians lived their lives, worshiped, and eventually went on to influence the Roman Empire and Western civilization.
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4 out of 5 stars
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excellent
- By tji21 on 12-03-19
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The Wisdom of the Desert
- Sayings from the Desert Fathers of the Fourth Century
- By: Thomas Merton
- Narrated by: Greg Chun
- Length: 1 hr and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 12
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 11
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Story5 out of 5 stars 11
The Wisdom of the Desert was one of Thomas Merton's favorites among his own books, surely because he had hoped to spend his last years as a hermit. The personal tones of the translations and the blend of reverence and humor so characteristic of him show how deeply Merton identified with the legendary authors of these sayings and parables, the fourth-century Christian fathers who sought solitude and contemplation in the deserts of the Near East.
Publisher's Summary
Monastic life and its counter-cultural wisdom come alive in the stories and lessons of Br. Paul Quenon, OCSO, during his more than five decades as a Trappist at the Abbey of Gethsemani. He served as a novice under Thomas Merton, and he also welcomed some of the monastery's more well-known visitors, including Sr. Helen Prejean and Seamus Heaney, to Merton's hermitage. In Praise of the Useless Life includes Quenon's quiet reflections on what it means to live each day with careful attentiveness.
The humble peace and simplicity of the monastery and of Quenon's daily life are beautifully portrayed in this memoir. Whether it be through the daily routine of the monastery, his love of the outdoors no matter the season, or his lively and interesting conversations with visitors (reciting Emily Dickinson with Pico Iyer, discussing Merton and poetry with Czeslaw Milosz), Quenon's gentle musings display his love for the beauty in his vocation and the people he's encountered along the way.
Inspired by his novice master Merton, the poet and photographer’s stories remind us that the beauty of life can best be seen in the "uselessness" of daily life - having a quiet chat with a friend, spending time in contemplation - in our vocations, and in the memories we make along the way.
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