A fascinating essay in the NYT on the Charthusian monks, brewers of Chartreuse: “An Elixir from the French Alps, Frozen in Time”. It’s filled with amazing quotes & quips like:
The days pass very quickly when you’re immersed in the shadow of eternity.
Or, from the president of the Charthusians’ business:
I am very scared always. Only three of the brothers know how to make Chartreuse — nobody else knows the recipe. And each morning they drive together to the distillery. And they drive a very old car. And they drive it very badly.
They’d be capable of writing a business-strategy book that even I’d love to read:
When you have roots this deep, it allows you to forget the short term and project your vision far in the future.
And if I was ever forced to get a tattoo, I’d probably choose their motto:
Stat crux dum volvitur orbis
In English: The cross is fixed while the world is turning.