| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas: upon the people. Then unfastening the diamond ornament which
the queen had sent him, he placed it in the hands of the
priest who accompanied Juxon. Then he drew from his breast a
little cross set in diamonds, which, like the order, had
been the gift of Henrietta Maria.
"Sir," said he to the priest, "I shall keep this cross in my
hand till the last moment. Take it from me when I am --
dead."
"Yes, sire," said a voice, which Athos recognized as that of
Aramis.
He then took his hat from his head and threw it on the
Twenty Years After |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Tao Teh King by Lao-tze: conquer; and a tree which is strong will fill the out-stretched arms,
(and thereby invites the feller.)
4. Therefore the place of what is firm and strong is below, and that
of what is soft and weak is above.
77. 1. May not the Way (or Tao) of Heaven be compared to the (method
of) bending a bow? The (part of the bow) which was high is brought
low, and what was low is raised up. (So Heaven) diminishes where
there is superabundance, and supplements where there is deficiency.
2. It is the Way of Heaven to diminish superabundance, and to
supplement deficiency. It is not so with the way of man. He takes
away from those who have not enough to add to his own superabundance.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Somebody's Little Girl by Martha Young: Sister Helen Vincula wiped her eyes.
The lady kept looking away off, but still held Bessie Bell's hand in
hers.
Then Sister Helen Vincula said: ``We are going away to-morrow.''
But the lady held fast to Bessie Bell's hand and said: ``Not this
little girl.''
``Oh,'' said Sister Helen Vincula, ``but she is in my charge, and so
what can I do!''
And the lady said: ``I cannot let her leave me--not ever.''
But Sister Helen Vincula said: ``Oh, madam, you do not know. No
matter what we hope, we do not know--''
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