A young, critical journalist asked Henri Nouwen the question: How can I live spiritually in the midst of a world marked by hectic activity, flexibility, and the need to perform? Henri Nouwen's answer, which he shares with his readers in this book, is as simple as it is liberating: "Everything I want to say to you is summed up in this promise: "You are the beloved. My only wish is that these words may echo in every cell of your being.".