| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Tao Teh King by Lao-tze: of a thing (in the same way) loses his hold. The sage does not act
(so), and therefore does no harm; he does not lay hold (so), and
therefore does not lose his bold. (But) people in their conduct of
affairs are constantly ruining them when they are on the eve of
success. If they were careful at the end, as (they should be) at the
beginning, they would not so ruin them.
4. Therefore the sage desires what (other men) do not desire, and does
not prize things difficult to get; he learns what (other men) do not
learn, and turns back to what the multitude of men have passed by.
Thus he helps the natural development of all things, and does not dare
to act (with an ulterior purpose of his own).
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy: You make me hate Christianity, or mysticism, or Sacerdotalism,
or whatever it may be called, if it's that which has caused
this deterioration in you. That a woman-poet, a woman-seer,
a woman whose soul shone like a diamond--whom all the wise of
the world would have been proud of, if they could have known you--
should degrade herself like this! I am glad I had nothing
to do with Divinity--damn glad--if it's going to ruin you in
this way!"
"You are angry, Jude, and unkind to me, and don't see how things are."
"Then come along home with me, dearest, and perhaps I shall.
I am overburdened--and you, too, are unhinged just now."
Jude the Obscure |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Spirit of the Border by Zane Grey: and the stone fireplace."
"It seems to me this dark spring and those gracefully spreading branches are
familiar," said Jim.
"Beautiful Spring," interposed Wingenund.
"Yes, I know this place," cried Nell excitedly. "I remember this glade though
it was moonlight when I saw it. Here Wetzel rescued me from Girty."
"Nell, you're right," replied Jim. "How strange we should run across this
place again."
Strange fate, indeed, which had brought them again to Beautiful Spring! It was
destined that the great scenes of their lives were to be enacted in this mossy
glade.
The Spirit of the Border |
