Merton taught me to look at life through the lens of both-and rather than only either-or. The ability to hold apparent contradictions with the conviction that both might be true is key to keeping our minds and hearts open to something new. It’s also key to understanding what it means to be whole, which has nothing to do with achieving “perfection.” It means embracing brokenness as an integral part of our wholeness. For example, I am a person of hope and one prone to depression. My wholeness depends on accepting the fact that I am “both-and,” and learning to do that dance, not pretending I am simply one or the other.
A Friendship, a Love, a Rescue














