Роздуми
Book 8
Youhavetornyourselfawayfromunity—yournaturalstate,oneyouwereborntosharein.Nowyou’vecutyourselfofffromit.
Butyouhaveoneadvantagehere:youcanreattachyourself.AprivilegeGodhasgrantedtonootherpartofnootherwhole—tobeseparated,cutaway,andreunited.Butlookhowhe’ssingledusout.He’sallowedusnottobebrokenoffinthefirstplace,andwhenwearehe’sallowedustoreturn,tograftourselvesbackon,andtakeupouroldpositiononceagain:partofawhole.
35.Wehavevariousabilities,presentinallrationalcreaturesasinthenatureofrationalityitself.Andthisisoneofthem.Justasnaturetakeseveryobstacle,everyimpediment,andworksaroundit—turnsittoitspurposes,incorporatesitintoitself—so,too,arationalbeingcanturneachsetbackintorawmaterialanduseittoachieveitsgoal.
36.Don’tletyourimaginationbecrushedbylifeasawhole.Don’ttrytopictureeverythingbadthatcouldpossiblyhappen.Stickwiththesituationathand,andask,"Whyisthissounbearable?Whycan’tIendureit?"You’llbeembarrassedtoanswer.
Thenremindyourselfthatpastandfuturehavenopoweroveryou.Onlythepresent—andeventhatcanbeminimized.Justmarkoffitslimits.Andifyourmindtriestoclaimthatitcan’tholdoutagainstthat...well,then,heapshameuponit.
37.
