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All of us wrestle with the angels of our inabilities all the time. We live in fear that our incapacities will be exposed. We posture and evaluate and assess and criticize mercilessly.
Joan D. Chittister
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote reflects the struggle with self-doubt and the fear of vulnerability in facing our limitations.

Joan D. Chittister's quote highlights the internal battle many individuals face regarding their perceived shortcomings and fears of inadequacy. It speaks to the universal anxiety of being judged based on our limitations, which often leads us to adopt defensive postures, engage in self-criticism, or overly judge others as a way to shield ourselves from exposure. This struggle suggests a deeper understanding of courage, as facing our 'angels of inabilities' requires bravery and honesty with ourselves.

Themes

InabilitiesFearSelf-DoubtVulnerabilityGrowth

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech to encourage vulnerability, this quote could illustrate the fear of inadequacy.

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Longing is a compass that guides us through life. We may never get what we really want, that's true, but every step along the way will be determined by it.
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We talk religion in a world that worships the bread but does not distribute it, that practices ritual rather than righteousness, that confesses but does not repent.
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Hospitality means we take people into the space that is our lives and our minds and our hearts and our work and our efforts. Hospitality is the way we come out of ourselves. It is the first step towards dismantling the barriers of the world. Hospitality is the way we turn a prejudiced world around, one heart at a time.
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The question is not, do we go to church; the question is, have we been converted. The crux of Christianity is not whether or not we give donations to popular charities but whether or not we are really committed to the poor.
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It is a pathetic moment in the history of the human condition when the outside world tells us who and what we are - and we start to believe it ourselves. Then, bent over from the weight of the negativity, we start to wither on the outside.
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