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Book 3
Whatisit—thisthingthatnowforcesitselfonmynotice?Whatisitmadeupof?Howlongwasitdesignedtolast?AndwhatqualitiesdoIneedtobringtobearonit—tranquillity,courage,honesty,trustworthiness,straightforwardness,independenceorwhat?
Soineachcaseyouneedtosay:"ThisisduetoGod."Or:"Thisisduetotheinterweavingsandintertwiningsoffate,tocoincidenceorchance."Or:"Thisisduetoahumanbeing.Someoneofthesamerace,thesamebirth,thesamesociety,butwhodoesn’tknowwhatnaturerequiresofhim.ButIdo.AndsoI’lltreatthemasthelawthatbindsus—thelawofnature—requires.Withkindnessandwithjustice.
Andininconsequentialthings?I’lldomybesttotreatthemastheydeserve."
12.Ifyoudothejobinaprincipledway,withdiligence,energyandpatience,ifyoukeepyourselffreeofdistractions,andkeepthespiritinsideyouundamaged,asifyoumighthavetogiveitbackatanymoment—
Ifyoucanembracethiswithoutfearorexpectation—canfindfulfillmentinwhatyou’redoingnow,asNatureintended,andinsuperhumantruthfulness(everyword,everyutterance)—thenyourlifewillbehappy.
Noonecanpreventthat.
13.Doctorskeeptheirscalpelsandotherinstrumentshandy,foremergencies.Keepyourphilosophyreadytoo—readytounderstandheavenandearth.
