| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Christ in Flanders by Honore de Balzac: assailed him, the chief, the king, the fatalist among them. He was
trusting in himself rather than in Providence, crying, "Bail away!"
instead of "Holy Virgin," defying the storm, in fact, and struggling
with the sea like a wrestler.
But the helpless poor at the other end of the wherry! The mother
rocking on her bosom the little one who smiled at the storm; the woman
once so frivolous and gay, and now tormented with bitter remorse; the
old soldier covered with scars, a mutilated life the sole reward of
his unflagging loyalty and faithfulness. This veteran could scarcely
count on the morsel of bread soaked in tears to keep the life in him,
yet he was always ready to laugh, and went his way merrily, happy when
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Heroes by Charles Kingsley: in the sweet still summer night.
But Arete pleaded hard with her husband for Medeia, for her
heart was softened. And she said, 'The Gods will punish her,
not we. After all, she is our guest and my suppliant, and
prayers are the daughters of Zeus. And who, too, dare part
man and wife, after all they have endured together?'
And Alcinous smiled. 'The minstrel's song has charmed you:
but I must remember what is right, for songs cannot alter
justice; and I must be faithful to my name. Alcinous I am
called, the man of sturdy sense; and Alcinous I will be.'
But for all that Arete besought him, until she won him round.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Flame and Shadow by Sara Teasdale: I could look even at God with grave forgiving eyes.
At Sea
In the pull of the wind I stand, lonely,
On the deck of a ship, rising, falling,
Wild night around me, wild water under me,
Whipped by the storm, screaming and calling.
Earth is hostile and the sea hostile,
Why do I look for a place to rest?
I must fight always and die fighting
With fear an unhealing wound in my breast.
Dust
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