| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Enemies of Books by William Blades: At certain times these observances are kept more religiously
than others; but especially should the book-lover, married
or single, beware of the Ides of March. So soon as February is
dead and gone, a feeling of unrest seizes the housewife's mind.
This increases day by day, and becomes dominant towards the middle
of the month, about which period sundry hints are thrown out
as to whether you are likely to be absent for a day or two.
Beware! the fever called "Spring Clean" is on, and unless you
stand firm, you will rue it. Go away, if the Fates so will,
but take the key of your own domain with you.
Do not misunderstand. Not for a moment would I advocate dust and dirt;
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Reason Discourse by Rene Descartes: contracts binding the parties to persevere in it, or even, for the
security of commerce, sanction similar engagements where the purpose
sought to be realized is indifferent: but because I did not find anything
on earth which was wholly superior to change, and because, for myself in
particular, I hoped gradually to perfect my judgments, and not to suffer
them to deteriorate, I would have deemed it a grave sin against good
sense, if, for the reason that I approved of something at a particular
time, I therefore bound myself to hold it for good at a subsequent time,
when perhaps it had ceased to be so, or I had ceased to esteem it such.
My second maxim was to be as firm and resolute in my actions as I was
able, and not to adhere less steadfastly to the most doubtful opinions,
Reason Discourse |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Recruit by Honore de Balzac: understood the difficulties that awaited her on coming to Carentan. To
seek to occupy a leading position would be daily defiance to the
scaffold; yet she pursued her even way. Sustained by her motherly
courage, she won the affections of the poor by comforting
indiscriminately all miseries, and she made herself necessary to the
rich by assisting their pleasures. She received the procureur of the
commune, the mayor, the judge of the district court, the public
prosecutor, and even the judges of the revolutionary tribunal.
The first four of these personages, being bachelors, courted her with
the hope of marriage, furthering their cause by either letting her see
the evils they could do her, or those from which they could protect
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