Mim Tea Estate

November 17, 1968

Thomas starts his day with mass and breakfast at St. Joseph's College in Darjeeling. Later he writes... "On being tired of Kanchenjunga. On the mountain being mercifully hidden by clouds. On sneaking a look at the mountain anyway before mass. I walked the length of St. Joseph's College to sneak a look at the mountain..." AJTM p.146

Kanchenjunga in clouds

The librarian at St. Joseph's is happy to meet Merton and proclaims "We have twenty-two of your books in our library!" A pretty good collection for 1968!

Hah! It is good!

Merton begins a mini-retreat at the Mim Tea Estate on this day. He is suffering from a persistant cold and appreciates a time of slowed pace... "Several times during the long silent ride in the Land Rover to the Mim Tea Estate today I wondered, "Why am I going there?" But I am glad to be here in this utterly quiet bungalow. The owners are out and won't be back until late. I have already refused dinner and asked for tea only, tea to be sent to the bungalow.

Mim Bungalow (Grayston Photo)

A fire is lit in the bungalow grate, and it is good. Hah! It is good. Fog hides the mountains. Fog gets in the soar throat. No matter. Fire and a variety of remedies and a big bed, with covers and fresh sheet turned back, awaits the tired penseur... I escape quickly to the bungalow, aside, apart, alone, silent." AJTM p.147

Peace and blessings... Rob

“Solitude is not something you must hope for in the future. Rather, it is a deepening of the present, and unless you look for it in the present you will never find it.”
Thomas Merton