Роздуми

           20.Yourspiritandthefirecontainedwithinyouaredrawnbytheirnatureupward.Buttheycomplywiththeworld’sdesignsandsubmittobeingmingledherebelow.Andtheelementsofearthandwaterinyouaredrawnbytheirnaturedownward.Butareforcedtorise,andtakeupapositionnottheirown.Soeventheelementsobeytheworld—whenorderedandcompelled—andmantheirstationsuntilthesignaltoabandonthemarrives.

           Sowhyshouldyourintellectbetheonlydissenter—theonlyonecomplainingaboutitsposting?It’snotasifanythingisbeingforcedonit.Onlywhatitsownnaturerequires.Andyetitrefusestocomply,andsetsoffintheoppositedirection.Becausetobedrawntowardwhatiswrongandself-indulgent,towardangerandfearandpain,istorevoltagainstnature.Andforthemindtocomplainaboutanythingthathappensistodesertitspost.Itwascreatedtoshowreverence—respectforthedivine—nolessthantoactjustly.Thattooisanelementofcoexistenceandaprerequisiteforjustice.

           21."Ifyoudon’thaveaconsistentgoalinlife,youcan’tliveitinaconsistentway."

           Unhelpful,unlessyouspecifyagoal.

           Thereisnocommonbenchmarkforallthethingsthatpeoplethinkaregood—exceptforafew,theonesthataffectusall.Sothegoalshouldbeacommonone—acivicone.Ifyoudirectallyourenergiestowardthat,youractionswillbeconsistent.Andsowillyou.

           22.