Thomas à Kempis

Every line we carry

Each one links to its source, what it means, and the shirt in any of our looks.

1. How quickly the glory of the world passes.

   Thomas points to famous teachers whose names nobody now remembers. Fame fades faster than anyone expects. Build on what will still matter when the applause is gone.

   The Imitation of Christ 1.3.6, William Benham, 1874

2. Love to be unknown.

   Three Latin words: ama nesciri. Freedom from needing to be noticed is a quiet kind of power. Do good work whether or not anyone sees it.

   The Imitation of Christ 1.2.3, William Benham, 1874

3. Man proposes, but God disposes.

   Make your plans and make them well. The outcome is held by a larger hand. Work hard, then hold the result with open fingers.

   The Imitation of Christ 1.19.2, William Benham, 1874

4. Renew your purpose every day, as if today were the first.

   Commitment fades unless it is renewed. Thomas asks for a fresh start every morning, with first-day energy. Wake up and choose your direction again.

   The Imitation of Christ 1.19.1, William Benham, 1874

5. Root out one fault a year and you will soon be whole.

   Trying to fix everything at once usually fixes nothing. One habit a year, truly uprooted, changes a life over time. Pick one fault and work on it until it is gone.

   The Imitation of Christ 1.11.5, William Benham, 1874

6. Hard times do not make a person weak. They show what he is.

   Adversity is a test that reveals, not a force that creates. What comes out under pressure was already inside. Build your character in calm times so it holds in hard ones.

   The Imitation of Christ 1.16.4, William Benham, 1874

7. First keep yourself in peace. Then you can bring peace to others.

   You cannot give what you do not have. A calm person settles a room just by being in it. Tend your own peace before you try to fix anyone else's.

   The Imitation of Christ 2.3.1, William Benham, 1874

8. Carry the cross willingly and it will carry you.

   Resisting a burden you cannot avoid makes it twice as heavy. Accepting it changes how it rides on your shoulders. Pick up what is yours to carry and you may find it lifting you.

   The Imitation of Christ 2.12.5, William Benham, 1874

9. Love feels no burden and counts no labor.

   Work done for someone you love does not feel like a cost. Love tries more than it can do and does not plead that it is impossible. If a task feels heavy, find the love in it.

   The Imitation of Christ 3.5.4, William Benham, 1874

10. The one who loves flies, runs and is glad.

    Love gives speed and lightness. It frees you from the things that usually hold you back. Let love be the engine of what you do.

    The Imitation of Christ 3.5.4, William Benham, 1874

11. Today a man is here. Tomorrow he is gone.

    From the chapter on meditating on death. Life is short and out of sight soon means out of mind. Live today as if it matters, because it is all you are sure of.

    The Imitation of Christ 1.23.1, William Benham, 1874