Perhaps everything terrifying is deep down a helpless thing that needs our help.
Interpretation
The quote suggests that even the most frightening things may be vulnerable and require our compassion.
Rainer Maria Rilke's quote highlights the idea that fear and terror often mask deeper vulnerabilities. It implies that rather than reacting with fear or hostility to what we find terrifying, we should seek to understand and respond with empathy to the underlying helplessness that may exist beneath the surface.
In practice
In a speech about mental health, one might mention this quote to encourage understanding towards those who experience fear.
Spring has again returned. _x000D_ _x000D_ The Earth is like a child that knows many poems._x000D_ _x000D_ Many, O so many. For the hardship_x000D_ _x000D_ of such long learning she receives the prize._x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ Strict was her teacher. _x000D_ _x000D_ The white in the old man's beard pleases us._x000D_ _x000D_ Now, what to call green, to call blue,_x000D_ _x000D_ we dare to ask: She knows, She knows!
Verses are not, as people think, feelings (those one has early enough) -- they are experiences. For the sake of a verse one must see many cities, men, and things, one must know the animals feel how birds fly, and know the gesture with which the little flowers open in the morning.
a good marriage is that in which each appoints the other guardian of his solitude
He reproduced himself with so much humble objectivity, with the unquestioning, matter of fact interest of a dog who sees himself in a mirror and thinks: there's another dog.
The only journey is the one within.
And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been
He is the best man who, when making his plans, fears and reflects on everything that can happen to him, but in the moment of action is bold.
They criticize me for harping on the obvious; if all the folks in the United States would do the few simple things they know they ought to do, most of our big problems would take care of themselves.
Always keep your foes confused. If they are never certain who you are or what you want, they cannot know what you are like to do next.
Suppose, my dear Chadd, suppose it is we who are the idiots because we are not afraid of devils in the dark?
I think of the trees and how simply they let go, let fall the riches of a season, how without grief (it seems) they can let go and go deep into their roots for renewal and sleep.... Imitate the trees. Learn to lose in order to recover, and remember that nothing stays the same for long, not even pain, psychic pain. Sit it out. Let it all pass. Let it go.
The Warrior of the light knows that when somebody wants something, the whole Universe conspires in their favor.
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