| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Proposed Roads To Freedom by Bertrand Russell: feared one thing above all. It was to find himself
some day led, by the debilitating action of prison,
to the condition of degradation of which Silvio Pellico
offers a well-known type. He feared that he might
cease to hate, that he might feel the sentiment of
revolt which upheld him becoming extinguished in
his hearts that he might come to pardon his persecutors
and resign himself to his fate. But this fear
was superfluous; his energy did not abandon him a
single day, and he emerged from his cell the same
man as when he entered.''[14]
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Scarecrow of Oz by L. Frank Baum: touched her heart as no other young man had ever done. I
kissed her hand. Just then the King came around a bend in
the walk. He struck me with his fist and kicked me with
his foot. Then he seized the arm of the Princess and
rudely dragged her into the castle."
"Wasn't he awful!" gasped Trot indignantly.
"He is a very abrupt King," said Pon, "so it was the
least I could expect. Up to that time I had not thought
of loving Princess Gloria, but realizing it would be
impolite not to return her love, I did so. We met at
evening, now and then, and she told me the King wanted
 The Scarecrow of Oz |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Lysis by Plato: nor lovers of quails, nor of dogs, nor of wine, nor of gymnastic exercises,
who have no return of love; no, nor of wisdom, unless wisdom loves them in
return. Or shall we say that they do love them, although they are not
beloved by them; and that the poet was wrong who sings--
'Happy the man to whom his children are dear, and steeds having single
hoofs, and dogs of chase, and the stranger of another land'?
I do not think that he was wrong.
You think that he is right?
Yes.
Then, Menexenus, the conclusion is, that what is beloved, whether loving or
hating, may be dear to the lover of it: for example, very young children,
 Lysis |