| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Human Drift by Jack London: hove it up. For'ard, as the boat's head paid off, we set a patch
of sail about the size of a flour-sack. And we headed straight
for shore. I unlaced my shoes, unbottoned my great-coat and coat,
and was ready to make a quick partial strip a minute or so before
we struck. But we didn't strike, and, as we rushed in, I saw the
beauty of the situation. Before us opened a narrow channel,
frilled at its mouth with breaking seas. Yet, long before, when I
had scanned the shore closely, there had been no such channel. I
HAD FORGOTTEN THE THIRTY-FOOT TIDE. And it was for this tide that
the Japanese had so precariously waited. We ran the frill of
breakers, curved into a tiny sheltered bay where the water was
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Enoch Arden, &c. by Alfred Tennyson: In silence, then before thine answer given
Departest, and thy tears are on my cheek.
Why wilt thou ever scare me with thy tears,
And make me tremble lest a saying learnt,
In days far-off, on that dark earth, be true?
`The Gods themselves cannot recall their gifts.'
Ay me! ay me! with what another heart
In days far-off, and with what other eyes
I used to watch--if I be he that watch'd--
The lucid outline forming round thee; saw
The dim curls kindle into sunny rings;
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Tom Sawyer, Detective by Mark Twain: to have me watched, and wait--wait till I slip ashore,
thinking he is a thousand miles away, then slip after
me and dog me to a good place and make me give up
the di'monds, and then he'll--oh, I know what he'll
do! Ain't it awful--awful! And now to think the OTHER
one's aboard, too! Oh, ain't it hard luck, boys--ain't it
hard! But you'll help save me, WON'T you?--oh, boys,
be good to a poor devil that's being hunted to death,
and save me--I'll worship the very ground you walk on!"
We turned in and soothed him down and told him we would
plan for him and help him, and he needn't be so afeard;
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