Maria Augusta von Trapp > Quotes

“Music acts like a magic key, to which the most tightly closed heart opens.”
― Maria von Trapp

“Music- what a powerful instrument, what a mighty weapon!”
― Maria Augusta Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“Christianity nowadays is like a big household where many cousins live under the same roof. They all belong to the same clan, but at times they have very different ideas about how to run their family affairs.
Some of them, for instance, have no use for any outside devotion. God is a spirit, and He wants to be worshipped in spirit only, they say. Consequently, they have dispensed with all liturgy. They don’t want any distracting ceremonies, no incense, no vestments, no music, no pictures and images, not even sacraments—only the service of the spirit.
The trouble is, however, that as long as we live here on earth, we simply are not pure spirits, but we have also a body, and in that body, a very human heart; and this heart needs outward signs of its inward affections. That is why we embrace and kiss the one we love; and the more we love, the more ardently we press him to this very heart—somehow it seems as if these cousins had overlooked that fact. But you can’t cheat the heart; it knows what it wants, and it knows how to get it.”
― Maria Augusta Trapp

“It will be very interesting one day to follow the pattern of our life as it is spread out like a beautiful tapestry. As long as we live here we see only the reverse side of the weaving, and very often the pattern, with its threads running wildly, doesn't seem to make sense. Some day, however, we shall understand.
In looking back over the years we can discover how a red thread goes through the pattern of our life: the Will of God.”
― Maria von Trapp

“One of the greatest things in human life is the ability to make plans. Even if they never come true-the joy of anticipating is irrevocably yours. That way one can live many more than just one life.”
― Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“The most striking difference between little ones and grownups is that little ones cannot worry, and they cannot worry because they have no past and no future. They live only in the present moment. Just watch children. If they play, they play and don't even hear us call them and don't notice anything that is going on around them. If they eat, they eat; if they sleep, they sleep. There is a beautiful English word which describes how they do whatever they do, they do it 'whole-heartedly', whereas grownups always are half-hearted.”
― Maria von Trapp, Yesterday, Today, and Forever

“We are not poor. We just don't have any money!”
― Maria Augusta Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“Our age has become so mechanical that this has also affected our recreation. People have gotten used to sitting down and watching a movie, a ball game, a television set. It may be good once in a while, but it certainly is not good all the time. Our own faculties, our imagination, our memory, the ability to do things with our mind and our hands–they need to be exercised. If we become too passive, we get dissatisfied.”
― Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“What is the usual reaction among our friends and neighbors if in a family something unexpected happens?...Telephone and [email] are immediately put to work...and the incident is discussed for days on end. It is no wonder there is no time left in which to ponder on what it might mean, what message God might want to bring home to us by permitting this or that to happen in our lives...'To ponder' is an all-but-forgotten art in our days. Who thinks? We don't need to anymore. The TV and [internet] do it for us.”
― Maria von Trapp, Yesterday, Today, and Forever

“We learned the shocking truth that "home" isn't necessarily a certain spot on earth. It must be a place where you can "feel" at home, which means "free" to us.”
― Maria Augusta Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“Love is an excellent thing and a very great blessing, indeed. It makes every difficulty easy. It bears a burden without being weighted, and renders sweet all that is bitter. Love knows no limits, feels no burden, thinks nothing of troubles, attempts more than it is able, because it believes that it may and can do all things; for this reason it is able to do all, performing much where he who does not love fails and falls. Love is watchful. Sleeping, it does not slumber. Like a living flame, a burning torch, it tends upward and passes unharmed through every obstacle.” Whatever faults may be committed, big or small, whatever clouds may pile up on the horizon, dark and threatening, love will overcome all.”
― Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“But there is that certain something about wanting to do the will of God. If one is sincere and if one really wants to know what His will is, all one has to do is be quiet. Shut off the television and radio, and in that silence one will always hear that still small voice in one's heart telling him what to do.”
― Maria von Trapp, Maria

“A family which sings together, plays together, and prays together usually stays together.”
― Maria Augusta Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“No work, as long as it is decent, can ever disgrace anybody.”
― Maria Augusta Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“Many years later, I happened to learn about planned parenthood and birth control to guard against unwanted children. I must say, Barbara, who we now had to call Johannes, had not been exactly planned for that very moment, and as far as being wanted is concerned, I would've gladly said many times, "Oh, won't you please be so kind as to wait for just six months." Yes, many times on the flight, on the boat, on the bus, on the stage. But thousands of years ago, God assured us – it's in the Book – "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your ways My ways." So if there's any planning to be done, why don't we let Him do it? Looking back now, I know that He chose the only right moment for Johannes' arrival.”
― Maria Augusta von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Siingers

“Only one thing at a time can be the Will of God. If He wants us to act in a certain way, He has to help us with the obstacles.. He always does - we can count on it.”
― Maria Augusta von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“if one doesn’t have a character like Abraham Lincoln or Joan of Arc, a diet simply disintegrates into eating exactly what you want to eat, but with a bad conscience.”
― Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“Oh God, we cry unto Thee, In the Name of Jesus, Through the Blood of Jesus, Through the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Most wonderfully Thou canst help us. Holy God, Holy, strong God, Holy, immortal God, Have mercy on us!”
― Maria Augusta von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“The room was bathed in that mild, golden light, which only one source can give – wax candles; but wax candles on Christmas, for on no other day of the year do they radiate such penetrating happiness and peace. It must be that through all the centuries, the light on Christmas Eve borrows its shine from the Star of Bethlehem, which witnessed the first Christmas message of peace to men of good will.”
― Maria Augusta von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“Society of Friends,”
― Maria Augusta von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“Radio City—”
― Maria Augusta von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“more than one subway”
― Maria Augusta von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“In Poland, Italy, some valleys of Austria, and especially the Balkan countries, the fast is most conscientiously observed. One meal a day only, and no animal products: no meat, no fish, no eggs, butter, cheese, or milk.”
― Maria Augusta von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“Nec aspera terrent - latin for "Let nothing difficult frighten thee”
― Maria Augusta von Trapp, Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“IT WILL BE very interesting one day to follow the pattern of our life as it is spread out like a beautiful tapestry. As long as we live here we see only the reverse side of the weaving, and very often the pattern, with its threads running wildly, doesn’t seem to make sense. Some day, however, we shall understand. In looking back over the years we can discover how a red thread goes through the pattern of our life: the Will of God.”
― Maria Augusta von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“Sunday, when everything else was closed,”
― Maria Augusta von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“brook”
― Maria Augusta von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“dialed Circle”
― Maria Augusta von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“hall as big as the main waiting room in Grand Central Station.”
― Maria Augusta von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

“The excitement of the first Sunday in Advent had hardly died down when the sixth of December came around, one of the most momentous days for all houses where little children lived. On the vigil of this day Saint Nikolaus comes down to earth to visit all the little ones. Saint Nikolaus was a saintly bishop of the fourth century, and being always very kind and helpful to children and young people, God granted that every year on his feastday he might come down to the children. He comes dressed in his Bishop’s vestments, with a mitre on his head and his Bishop’s staff in his hand. He is followed, however, by the Krampus, an ugly, black little devil with a long, red tongue, a pair of horns, and a long tail. When Saint Nikolaus enters a house, he finds the whole family assembled, waiting for him, and the parents greet him devoutly. Then he asks the children questions from their catechism. He has them repeat a prayer or sing a song. He seems to know everything, all the dark spots of the past year, as you can see from his admonishing words. All the good children are given a sack with apples and nuts, prunes and figs, and the most delicious, heavenly sweets. Bad children, however, must promise very hard to change their life. Otherwise, the Krampus will take them along, and he is grunting already and rattling his heavy chain. But the Holy Bishop won’t ever let him touch a child. He believes the tearful eyes and stammered promises, but it may happen that, instead of a sweet bag, you get a switch. That will be put up in a conspicuous place and will look very symbolic of a child’s behavior.”
― Maria Augusta von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers