Befriending Life: Encounters with Henri Nouwen

Taking upon himself the spiritual, mental, and physical struggles of his spiritual children, Henri Nouwen came to exemplify the kenotic life of Christ by "sharing each other's budrens, and so fulfill the law of Christ". Each of the stories in this book show just how a simple touch, a loving glance, a kind word, or a quiet presence can effect to life of another person. More than that, it shows the simple, childlike beauty of the mentally retarded. Truly they rest in the heart of God in the arms of Christ. They are the pure of heart who see God.If you get a chance, read Nouwen's "Compassion" to get a moving reflection on the life of communion and service.Enjoy!

Henri Nouwen made remarkable contributions to many people of all religious denominations, particularly Christians, throughout his lifetime. Priest, Scholar, Psychologist, Professor, Chaplain and Author were the professional and formal roles he held throughout his lifetime. Yet, ultimately Nouwen was a deeply human man who has come to be somewhat widely recognized as something of a contemporary mystic since his death in 1996. Nouwen's more than thirty-two books give very human voice and practical dimension to the struggles which life presents to us all. His personal struggles to live his own life defined his writings and perhaps are what made them so uniquely effective in reaching the wide audience he managed to draw. While clearly Christian, they were writings that were offered as `an invitation to reflection and personal search' as opposed to any kind of theological mandates. As a result of his openness and his efforts toward inclusiveness, Nouwen was embraced by people of many faiths who found inspiration in his writings. In Befriending Life, a wide variety of people who knew Henri in one capacity or another, tell their story of their encounters with him. Clearly, Henri Nouwen was a man who had a remarkable ability to reach and affirm others. Befriending Life is essentially a series of portraits of Henri Nouwen given through the writings and interviews of a wide array of people who came to know Henri personally in some capacity or other. The contributors include co-workers, former students, trapeze artists, retarded persons and even near-strangers who were somehow, often through the most unlikely series of coincidences, deeply touched through Henri's ministry. As Nouwen was truly a geographical and vocational wanderer throughout his life, this book gives a delightfully engaging account of a deeply restless man who somehow managed to give voice to many more universal human struggles through the examination of his own. For anyone who has enjoyed Henri Nouwen's writings, Befriending Life gives the reader a much better understanding of the human being behind the words. Flawed, broken, restless, seeking.... Henri went about his life most earnestly and seriously -- attempting to make his world a better place by reaching out to other human beings, one by one. For the newcomer to Nouwen, here is a wonderful opportunity to become intrigued by this man's life and to perhaps begin a more lasting relationship with Nouwen through this invitation to his many books. Befriending Life is a wonderfully engaging book. It weaves together many people's personal experiences with Henri Nouwen and ultimately creates perhaps the most informative biography available on the man. Highly recommended! James J. Maloney Saint Paul, Minnesota USA

If you have treasured Henri Nouwen's books, this book about him is one you shouldn't miss. It recounts the experiences of his friends with him... shows you the doors and paths he helped them find... refers throughout to his books... sending you right back to them. This 'Wounded Healer' who found so much to meditate on in the painting of the Prodigal Son will continue to touch you through these accounts by his friends.

Beth Porter, Susan Brown, and Philip Coulter have done a magnificent job of collecting memories of Henri Nouwen from those who loved him. These recollections are by core members of the Daybreak community who lived with Henri, persons who met him only once but who were transformed by the encounter, persons who worried about Henri's woundedness but also celebrated it as the source of his incredible sensitivity to the wounds of others. My favorite recollection is by Michael Arnett, the brother of Adam, Henri's companion at Daybreak. Michael says: "Sometimes I do sit on Adam's bench. Right by Daybreak pond. Think about Adam. Think about Henri." So do I. So do all of us whose lives were touched by Henri Nouwen. Thanks to the editors for reminding us of how much we owe him.