Words to live by
When a supporter of L’Arche – the residential community for people with learning disabilities – turned to the eminent palliative care doctor Thérèse Vanier for spiritual advice, she probably did not expect to be told: “Thou shalt be boring, untidy, inelegant and unattractive at times.”

The insight comes from a new book about the woman who founded the UK branch of L’Arche. The author, Ann Shearer, describes the book as “a composite memoir of Thérèse based on contributions from people who had known her”.

One such anecdote tells of how Vanier, the elder sister of Jean Vanier, the founder of L’Arche International, gave a friend a framed copy of her version of the Ten Commandments, which included: “Thou shalt not be perfect, nor even try to be”; “Thou shalt not spread thyself too thin”; “Thou shalt schedule time for thyself and thy supportive network”; and “Especially thou shalt not be thine own worst enemy, but be thy best friend.”