The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Herodias by Gustave Flaubert: come, bringing the enjoyment of all blessings, and giving them
domination over all the peoples of the earth. Certain persons believed
that there were to be two Messiahs; one would be vanquished by Gog and
Magog, the demons of the North; but the other would exterminate the
Prince of Evil; and for centuries the coming of this Saviour of
mankind had been expected at any moment.
At this, the priests began to talk in low tones among themselves.
Eleazar addressed Jacob, saying that it had always been understood
that the Messiah would be a son of David, not of a carpenter; and that
he would confirm the law, whereas this Nazarene attacked it.
Furthermore, as a still stronger argument against the pretender, it
 Herodias |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Chance by Joseph Conrad: his avatar into Mr. Smith.
For the time the ship was loading in London Anthony took a cottage
near a little country station in Essex, to house Mr. Smith and Mr.
Smith's daughter. It was altogether his idea. How far it was
necessary for Mr. Smith to seek rural retreat I don't know. Perhaps
to some extent it was a judicious arrangement. There were some
obligations incumbent on the liberated de Barral (in connection with
reporting himself to the police I imagine) which Mr. Smith was not
anxious to perform. De Barral had to vanish; the theory was that de
Barral had vanished, and it had to be upheld. Poor Flora liked the
country, even if the spot had nothing more to recommend it than its
 Chance |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from A Pair of Blue Eyes by Thomas Hardy: have made no difference; but he could not rest until he had begun
and ended the programme proposed to himself. Bodily activity will
sometimes take the sting out of anxiety as completely as assurance
itself.
Chapter XXV
'Mine own familiar friend.'
During these days of absence Stephen lived under alternate
conditions. Whenever his emotions were active, he was in agony.
Whenever he was not in agony, the business in hand had driven out
of his mind by sheer force all deep reflection on the subject of
Elfride and love.
 A Pair of Blue Eyes |