Stepping Stones: Daily Reflections by an Unconventional Monk

“We, each of us, will never take a breath more or less important than the one we are taking now. We will never be in a day or year more or less important than the one we are in now.” In this compilation of his writings, well-known spiritual writer and guide Tolbert McCarroll does indeed encourage us to approach each step, each moment, deliberately and thoughtfully. In a world where ‘living in the now’ is treated as some sort of mystical, hard-to-achieve concept, Brother Toby reassures us, in a year of daily reflections, that simply being is possible. He reminds us to cherish the little things, to stop and look down, to be “violet-seekers” in all that we do. This thought-provoking volume reminds readers that it is the small, oft-ignored aspects of life that make it so beautiful. Each of Brother Toby’s "Stepping Stones" is a much-needed dose of inner nourishment for his readers, gentle folk on many different personal and spiritual paths.

"STEPPING STONES is a joy to behold and a delight to read. McCarroll's spirituality is grounded in the earth itself, but it soars into the infinite. Moreover, while it is born in a particular place, it connects to all places and cultures. I have been reading Brother Toby for longer than I can remember, though I haven't forgotten his words of wisdom and love. Open this new book and turn its pages and you step into the universal. I recommend it to people of all religions and creeds and to those who are searching for something to believe in. STEPPING STONES is a spiritual guidebook to be treasured." - Jonah Raskin, author of A Terrible Beauty: The Wilderness of American Literature; Field Days: A Year of Farming, Eating and Drinking Wine in California; American Scream: Allen Ginsberg's Howl
"This superb work by an "unconventional monk" offers deepening experiences that will nest in your heart and quicken your imagination forever. A path through each day of the year shares an experience of his community's hillside, olive orchard, barn, or cup of tea, along with a lifetime's collection of wise words by the world's poets, neighbors, and saints, that will by turns startle and comfort, bring smiles and tears, moving you to live better, more simply, and always compassionately. As always, each insight is as intimate as a seasoned guide's simple sharing of life's most poignant secrets." -Cliff Edwards, author of The Shoes of Van Gogh: A Spiritual and Artistic Journey to the Ordinary; Issa: The Story of a Poet-Priest