"Love is a great thing, yea, a great and thorough good; by itself it makes everything that is heavy, light; and it bears evenly all that is uneven. For love carries a burden, and makes everything that is bitter sweet and tasteful."
-Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ
"If I am not for myself,
who will be for me?
If I am only for myself,
what am I?
If not now, when?"
- Rabbi Hillel
"Say not, 'I have found the truth,' but rather, 'I have found at truth."
- Kahlil Gibran
"A man wrapped up in himself is a very small man."
- Benjamin Franklin
"Our spiritual purpose is to fit ourselves to be of maximum service to God and our fellows."
- Seen on the walls at Shades of Hope
"Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each tomorrow
Find us farther than today."
- H.W. Longfellow, "A Psalm of Life"
Ashley Judd mentioned the Great Spirit Prayer by Chief Yellow Lark, which prompted me to look it up:
Oh, Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the wind,
Whose breath gives life to all the world.
Hear me; I need your strength and wisdom.
Let me walk in beauty,
and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things you have made
and my ears sharp to hear your voice
Make me wise so that I may understand
the things you have taught my people.
Help me to remain calm and strong
in the face of all that comes towards me.
Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.
Help me seek pure thoughts and act with the intention of helping others.
Help me find compassion without empathy overwhelming me.
I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother,
but to fight my greatest enemy
- Myself (My fears and my doubts).
Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes.
So when life fades, as the fading sunset,
my spirit may come to you without shame.
"Seek refuge in the attitude of detachment and you will amass the wealth of spiritual awareness. The one who is motivated only by desire for the fruits of their action, and anxious about the results, is miserable indeed."
- Bhagavad Gita, verse 49
"First, I just say, 'Hi, God.'
Second, I declare my proper relationship with my Creator: I am powerless over people, places and things; there is One who has all power, and that One is a loving God.
Third, I recommit myself to the decision I have made to turn my will and my life over to the care of this Power.
A hint of Julian of Norwich's prayer floats to mind: 'All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well...'"
- Ashley Judd
