| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Walden by Henry David Thoreau: persuasiveness on the ears of those who, for their part, did not
care how they were done by, who loved their enemies after a new
fashion, and came very near freely forgiving them all they did.
Be sure that you give the poor the aid they most need, though it
be your example which leaves them far behind. If you give money,
spend yourself with it, and do not merely abandon it to them. We
make curious mistakes sometimes. Often the poor man is not so cold
and hungry as he is dirty and ragged and gross. It is partly his
taste, and not merely his misfortune. If you give him money, he
will perhaps buy more rags with it. I was wont to pity the clumsy
Irish laborers who cut ice on the pond, in such mean and ragged
Walden |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from When the World Shook by H. Rider Haggard: laughing. "If you disobey that Lord Oro you may meet with another
experience in the sacrifice line."
"Perhaps you are right, Arbuthnot. I will occupy the interval
in preparing a suitable address."
"Much better occupy it in preparing breakfast," said Bickley.
"I have always noticed that you are at your best extempore."
In the end he did prepare breakfast though in a distrait
fashion; indeed I found him beginning to make tea in the
frying-pan. Bastin felt that his opportunity had arrived, and was
making ready to rise to the occasion.
Also we felt, all three of us, that we were extremely shabby-
When the World Shook |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from New Poems by Robert Louis Stevenson: From him that hath not, shall there not be taken
E'en that he hath, when he deserts the strife?
Life left by all life's benefits forsaken,
O keep the promise, Lord, and take the life.
TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF NORTHERN LIGHTS
I SEND to you, commissioners,
A paper that may please ye, sirs
(For troth they say it might be worse
An' I believe't)
And on your business lay my curse
Before I leav't.
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