| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Walking by Henry David Thoreau: ourselves a little more. We might climb a tree, at least. I found
my account in climbing a tree once. It was a tall white pine, on
the top of a hill; and though I got well pitched, I was well paid
for it, for I discovered new mountains in the horizon which I had
never seen before--so much more of the earth and the heavens. I
might have walked about the foot of the tree for threescore years
and ten, and yet I certainly should never have seen them. But,
above all, I discovered around me--it was near the end of
June--on the ends of the topmost branches only, a few minute and
delicate red conelike blossoms, the fertile flower of the white
pine looking heavenward. I carried straightway to the village the
Walking |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Chance by Joseph Conrad: It was very still in there; still as death. Then he heard a shuffle
of feet and the captain's voice "All right. Coming." He leaned his
back against the bulkhead as you see a drunken man sometimes propped
up against a wall, half doubled up. In that attitude the captain
found him, when he came out, pulling the door to after him quickly.
At once Anthony let his eyes run all over the cabin. Powell,
without a word, clutched his forearm, led him round the end of the
table and began to justify himself. "I couldn't stop him," he
whispered shakily. "He was too quick for me. He drank it up and
fell down." But the captain was not listening. He was looking down
at Mr. Smith, thinking perhaps that it was a mere chance his own
Chance |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Poor and Proud by Oliver Optic: expose herself to a thousand temptations. She wept long and
bitterly in the solitude of her chamber, and perhaps her wounded
pride caused many of her tears to flow. But better thoughts came
at last, and she took up the Bible which lay on the bed, and read
a few passages. Then she prayed to God that he would be with Katy
in the midst of the crowd, and guide her safely through the
perils and temptations that would assail her. She tried to banish
her foolish pride, when she considered her circumstances, she
could almost believe it was a wicked pride; but when she
endeavored to be reconciled to her lot, the thought of her
father's fine house, and the servants that used to wait upon her,
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