| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from One Basket by Edna Ferber: waited. The Rourke girl hesitated just a second. All the Irish
heart in her was melting at the boyish impudence of the man
before her. Then she lifted one hand and slapped his smooth
cheek. It was a ringing slap. You saw the four marks of her
fingers upon his face. Chet straightened, his blue eyes bluer.
Stasia looked up at him, her eyes wide. Then down at her own
hand, as if it belonged to somebody else. Her hand came up to
her own face. She burst into tears, turned, and ran. And as she
ran, and as she wept, she saw that Chet was still standing there,
looking after her.
Next morning, when Stasia Rourke went by to work, Chet Ball was
One Basket |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg by Mark Twain: up, and his wife rose and stood at his side. Her head was bent
down, so that none might see that she was crying. Her husband gave
her his arm, and so supporting her, he began to speak in a quavering
voice:
"My friends, you have known us two--Mary and me--all our lives, and
I think you have liked us and respected us--"
The Chair interrupted him:
"Allow me. It is quite true--that which you are saying, Mr.
Richards; this town DOES know you two; it DOES like you; it DOES
respect you; more--it honours you and LOVES you--"
Halliday's voice rang out:
The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Golden Sayings of Epictetus by Epictetus: Such I would were the subject of my thoughts, my pen, my
study, when death overtakes me.
LXXXV
Seemeth it nothing to you, never to accuse, never to blame
either God or Man? to wear ever the same countenance in going
forth as in coming in? This was the secret of Socrates: yet he
never said that he knew or taught anything. . . . Who amongst you
makes this his aim? Were it indeed so, you would gladly endure
sickness, hunger, aye, death itself.
LXXXVI
How are we constituted by Nature? To be free, to be noble,
The Golden Sayings of Epictetus |
