I tried to think of my knowledge, but it was a squirrel's heap of winter nuts. There was no strength in my knowledge any more and I felt small and naked as a new-hatched bird.
Grant us brotherhood, not only for this day but for all our years - a brotherhood not of words but of acts and deeds.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of genuine brotherhood through actions rather than mere words, advocating for lasting unity.
In this quote, Stephen Vincent Benet expresses a desire for a deep and enduring sense of brotherhood that transcends superficial expressions of camaraderie. He highlights that true brotherhood should be demonstrated through tangible actions and meaningful deeds, not just verbal commitments. This call for authentic connection reflects the notion that real relationships are built on the foundation of supportive and substantial actions over time.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used at community events to stress the importance of collective action over mere discussion.
More from Stephen Vincent Benet
All quotes βIt is forbidden to go east, but I have gone, forbidden to go on the great river, but I am there. Open your hearts, you spirits, and hear my song.
Our fathers and ourselves sowed dragon's teeth. Our children know and suffer the armed men.
You can't depend on the kind of folks people think they are - you've got to go by what they do. And I wouldn't give much for a man that some folks hadn't thought was a fool, in his time.
Go play with the towns you have built of blocks, The towns where you would have bound me! I sleep in my earth like a tired fox, And my bufdfalo have found me.
We can no longer take our own way of life for granted - we know that it may be challenged. And we know this, too - and know it ever more deeply - we know that freedom and democracy are not just big words mouthed by orators but the rain and the wind and the sun, the air and the light by which we breathe and live.
Similar quotes
A new friend is always a miracle, but at thirty-three years old, such a bird of paradise rising in the sage-brush was an avatar. One friend in a lifetime is much; two are many; three are hardly
Come, Mr. Frodo!' he cried. 'I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you and it as well. So up you get! Come on, Mr. Frodo dear! Sam will give you a ride. Just tell him where to go, and he'll go
Strangers he gulls, but friends make fun of him.
We often talk too much & listen too little. The surer route to winning a friend isn't to convince them that you're right, but that you care what they think.
But sometimes it's like you just meet someone and you just know that you're totally connected, and this person is, like, your brother - or your sister. Even if they don't, like, recognize it, you feel it. And in a lot of ways it don't matter if they do or they don't see that for what it is - all you can do is put the feeling out there. That's your duty. Then you just wait and see what comes back to you. That's the deal.
When I was a footballer, I surrounded myself with footballers. We were all friends. But in Brasilia you don't know who your friends are. It can be a dangerous place.