Tuesday, March 08, 2005

The Quantity of an Hazel-Nut

Sharon at Early Modern Notes, who has been posting selections highlighting women's agency in history for International Women's Day, posted a selection from Julian of Norwich. As it happens, the selection contains my favorite among Julian's visions:

Also in this He shewed me a little thing, the quantity of an hazel-nut, in the palm of my hand; and it was as round as a ball. I looked thereupon with eye of my understanding, and thought: What may this be? And it was answered generally thus: It is all that is made. I marvelled how it might last, for methought it might suddenly have fallen to naught for little[ness]. And I was answered in my understanding: It lasteth, and ever shall [last] for that God loveth it. And so All-thing hath the Being by the love of God.