Tranquility in the face of danger speaks to purity of heart. The God-centered soul is calm in a way the self-centered soul can never be. Years of prayerful self-discipline truly manifest their efficacy when catastrophe strikes. Like wildflower seeds that do not sprout until they have been razed in forest fires, the virtues instilled by the contemplative life come into their own when everyone else is fleeing for their lives.
-- Paula Huston, simplifying THE SOUL
