The earth has grown old with its burden of care, But at Christmas it always is young.
Phillips BrooksRead
Sad will be the day for every man when he becomes absolutely contented with the life that he is living, with the thoughts that he is thinking, with the deeds that he is doing, when there is not forever beating at the doors of his soul some great desire to do something larger, which he knows that he was meant and made to do because he is the child of God.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True fulfillment comes from striving for greatness and not settling for complacency in life.
This quote emphasizes the importance of aspiration and the pursuit of greater purpose in life. It warns against the danger of becoming fully content with the current state of affairs, suggesting that such complacency stifles growth and the inherent drive within us to achieve more, as each person carries within them a divine potential meant to be realized.
Themes
AspirationContentmentDesireGrowthPurpose
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could inspire a group of students during a graduation speech to pursue their dreams.
More from Phillips Brooks
All quotes →We never become truly spiritual by sitting down and wishing to become so. You must undertake something so great that you cannot accomplish it unaided.
Phillips BrooksRead
The truest help we can render an afflicted man is not to take his burden from him, but to call out his best energy, that he may be able to bear the burden.
Phillips BrooksRead
To believe in the God over us and around us and not in the God within us - that would be a powerless and fruitless faith.
Phillips BrooksRead
To say, 'well done' to any bit of good work is to take hold of the powers which have made the effort and strengthen them beyond our knowledge.
Phillips BrooksRead
Think of life as a voyage. The truest liver of the truest life is like a voyager who, as he sails, is not indifferent to all the beauty of the sea around him.
Phillips BrooksRead
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I used to think that God's gifts were on shelves one above the other and that the taller we grew in Christian character, the more easily we should reach them. I find now that God's gifts are on shelves one beneath the other and that is not a question of growing taller, but of stooping lower and that we have to go down, always down to get His best ones.
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You can't talk your way out of something you behaved your way into. You have to behave your way out of it.
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It is a mistake to regard age as a downhill grade toward dissolution. The reverse is true. As one grows older, one climbs with surprising strides.
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