It is chiefly through books that we enjoy intercourse with superior minds. In the best books, great men talk to us, give us their most precious thoughts, and pour their souls into ours.
William Ellery ChanningRead
He who is false to the present duty breaks a thread in the loom, and you will see the effect when the weaving of a life-time is unraveled.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Neglecting your current responsibilities can lead to serious consequences in your life.
This quote by William Ellery Channing emphasizes the importance of being true to our present duties and responsibilities. It suggests that failing to fulfill our obligations can have a ripple effect, unraveling the fabric of our lives over time, as the metaphor of a loom signifies how interconnected our actions and responsibilities are in shaping our overall life experience.
Themes
ResponsibilityDutyLifeConsequencesPresent
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a motivational speech to inspire accountability.
More from William Ellery Channing
All quotes βNo power in society, no hardship in your condition can depress you, keep you down, in knowledge, power, virtue, influence, but by your own consent.
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I laugh, for hope hath a happy place with me; If my boat sinks, 'tis to another sea.
William Ellery ChanningRead
We smile at the ignorance of the savage who cuts down the tree in order to reach its fruit; but the same blunder is made by every person who is over eager and impatient in the pursuit of pleasure.
William Ellery ChanningRead
Every mind was made for growth, for knowledge, and its nature is sinned against when it is doomed to ignorance.
William Ellery ChanningRead
Influence is to be measured, not by the extent of surface it covers, but by its kind.
William Ellery ChanningRead
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