Men are said to desire women, Severian. Why do they despise the women they obtain?
Gene WolfeRead
That was when I found out that the best way in the world to make yourself feel better when you have hit bottom is to try to get somebody else to feel better. There are certain things in life that are truly worth knowing, and that is one of the big ones.
Interpretation
Helping others can be a powerful way to heal oneself.
In this quote, Gene Wolfe emphasizes the profound impact of altruism on personal well-being. When one is feeling low or has hit rock bottom, extending kindness and support to others can foster a sense of purpose and rejuvenation, illustrating the interconnectedness of human emotions and the healing power of compassion.
In practice
During a speech at a community service event, one might use this quote to inspire volunteerism.
A little neglect may breed great mischief. ... For want of a nail, the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe, the horse was lost; for want of a horse, the battle was lost; for want of the battle, the war was lost.
Anxiety is the gap between the NOW and the THEN. So if you are in the NOW, you can't be anxious, because your excitement flows immediately into ongoing spontaneous activity.
Before you agree to do anything that might add even the smallest amount of stress to your life, ask yourself: What is my truest intention? Give yourself time to let a yes resound within you. When it's right, I guarantee that your entire body will feel it.
I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn't make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant loosing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet.
When you repeat a mistake, it is not a mistake anymore: it is a decision.
God will only give you what you would have asked for if you knew everything he knows
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