| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Mistress Wilding by Rafael Sabatini: his? Oh, it is good to be loved, if it be by no more than a dog and
an old servant!
In a moment Walters was himself again. He was on his feet, scrutinizing
Wilding's haggard face and disordered, filthy clothes. He broke into
exclamations between dismay and reproach, but these Wilding interrupted
to ask the old man how it happened that he had remained.
"My son John was a sergeant in the troop that quartered itself here,
sir," Walters explained, "and so they left me alone. But even had it
not been for that, I scarcely think they would have harmed an old man.
They were brave fellows for all the mischief they did here, and they
seemed to have little heart in the service of the Popish King. It was
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas: "Well, what is to be done?"
"Sire, have you in the army one regiment on which you can
implicitly rely?"
"Winter," said the king, "do you believe in the fidelity of
yours?"
"Sire, they are but men, and men are become both weak and
wicked. I will not answer for them. I would confide my life
to them, but I should hesitate ere I trusted them with your
majesty's."
"Well!" said Athos, "since you have not a regiment, we are
three devoted men. It is enough. Let your majesty mount on
 Twenty Years After |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Paradise Lost by John Milton: Of union or communion, deified:
I, by conversing, cannot these erect
From prone; nor in their ways complacence find.
Thus I emboldened spake, and freedom used
Permissive, and acceptance found; which gained
This answer from the gracious Voice Divine.
Thus far to try thee, Adam, I was pleased;
And find thee knowing, not of beasts alone,
Which thou hast rightly named, but of thyself;
Expressing well the spirit within thee free,
My image, not imparted to the brute;
 Paradise Lost |