| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Fisherman's Luck by Henry van Dyke: burdensome in acceptance, or more profitable in obedience, than this
easy out-of-doors commandment. For several hours we walked in the
way of this precept, through the untangled woods that lie behind the
Forest Hills Lodge, where a pair of pigeon-hawks had their nest; and
around the brambly shores of the small pond, where Maryland yellow-
throats and song-sparrows were settled; and under the lofty hemlocks
of the fragment of forest across the road, where rare warblers
flitted silently among the tree-tops. The light beneath the
evergreens was growing dim as we came out from their shadow into the
widespread glow of the sunset, on the edge of a grassy hill,
overlooking the long valley of the Gale River, and uplooking to the
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Message by Honore de Balzac: the inner, always the least worn, side of the cloth, and finally
had turned down the tops of my trousers over my boots,
artistically cleaned in the grass. Thanks to this Gascon toilet,
I could hope that the lady would not take me for the local rate
collector; but now when my thoughts travel back to that episode
of my youth, I sometimes laugh at my own expense.
Suddenly, just as I was composing myself, at a turning in the
green walk, among a wilderness of flowers lighted up by a hot ray
of sunlight, I saw Juliette--Juliette and her husband. The pretty
little girl held her mother by the hand, and it was easy to see
that the lady had quickened her pace somewhat at the child's
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Paradise Lost by John Milton: The ridges of grim war: No thought of flight,
None of retreat, no unbecoming deed
That argued fear; each on himself relied,
As only in his arm the moment lay
Of victory: Deeds of eternal fame
Were done, but infinite; for wide was spread
That war and various; sometimes on firm ground
A standing fight, then, soaring on main wing,
Tormented all the air; all air seemed then
Conflicting fire. Long time in even scale
The battle hung; till Satan, who that day
Paradise Lost |
