"Reverence for Life affords me my fundamental principle of morality, namely, that good consists in maintaining, assisting, and enhancing life and that to destroy, harm, or to hinder life is evil. Affirmation of the world -- that is affirmation of the will to live, which appears in phenomenal forms all around me -- is only possible for me in that I give myself out for other life."- Albert Schweitzer
"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?"- George Eliot
(My comment: these two statements are basically equivalent, are they not?)
"That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet."- Emily Dickinson
(I comment on Emily: I do not believe she meant this in some sweeping sense that turns into theology. Emily was master of the present moment and that is how I believe she means this quote - that this very moment is sweet and it is sweet in it's passing, never to come again)
"The most decisive actions of our life ... are most often unconsidered actions."- Andre Gide
(I have lived this quote. I insist that the key moments of my life not only have not been moments I chose in any ordinary way but that I could not have chosen them in any ordinary way)
In The Basement
I heard you down there
rustling around, reaching for
first love once again
in our love's basement,
looking for our first kisses
and the other first
things, our foundations.
That's how I know you've questioned
our life together.
August 24, 2009 12:56 PM
The only place I can rustle around in is my memory! But relationships always serve to teach us things, even in retrospect...
ReplyDeleteI like the poem. I don’t connect it easily with the great quotes included, but I can imagine and see the familiar person in the basement and the questioning going on. Thank you
ReplyDeleteBelle of Amherst
ReplyDeleteAs always so beautiful. I have been ill but still make time to read your lovely words.
ReplyDeleteCherie the butterfly
Yes indeed, Jinsky, the relationships are the primary school of the soul.
ReplyDeleteAnthony, I do tend to compose the posts, but largely by intuition, not by planning them. Sometimes I may not connect the dots so well. I don't mind. I hope you won't too.
Thanks, Ghost, for you bringing Quoting Napoleon to the blog. I am glad to see you still close enough to touch base here.
(((Cherie))) I miss you more than it may seem to you.