Quotes from Madeleine L'Engle

How do I make more than a fumbling attempt to explain that faith is not legislated, that it is not a small box which works twenty-four hours a day? If I 'believe' for two minutes once every month or so, I'm doing well.

If God's peace is in our hearts, we carry it with us, and it can be given to those around us, not by our own will or virtue, but by the Holy Spirit working through us. We cannot give what we do not have, but if the spirit blows through the dark clouds, and enters our hearts, we can be used as vehicles of peace, and our own peace will be thereby deepened. The more peace we give away, the more we have.

We don't want to feel less when we have finished a book; we want to feel that new possibilities of being have been opened to us. We don't want to close a book with a sense that life is totally unfair and that there is no light in the darkness; we want to feel that we have been given illumination.

But I did feel, and passionately, that it wasn't fair of God to give us brains enough to ask the ultimate questions if he didn't intend to teach us the answers.

For the things which are seen are temporal. But the things which are not seen are eternal.

Lords of melody and song, Lords of roses burning bright, Blue will right the ancient wrong, Though the way is dark and long, Blue will shine with loving light.

The very young woman can be charming and delightful and pretty but only a mature woman can be beautiful; and only a mature man can be strong enough to be tender.

He knew what she wanted, and he wanted it, too; he was ready, but not, despite her gorgeousness, with Tiglah. Tiglah was not worth losing his ability to touch a unicorn.

We want them to see their home planet, Mrs. Whatsit said. The Medium lost the delighted smile she had worn till then. Oh, why must you make me look at unpleasant things when there are so many delightful ones to see? Again Mrs. Which's voice reverberated through the cave. There will no longer be so many pleasant things to look at if responsible people do not do something about the unpleasant ones.

It may be that we have lost our ability to hold a blazing coal, to move unfettered through time, to walk on water, because we have been taught that such things have to be earned; we should deserve them; we must be qualified. We are suspicious of grace. We are afraid of the very lavishness of the gift. But a child rejoices in presents!

It is the nature of love to create. It is the nature of hate to destroy.

Let's be exclusive' Charles Wallace said.