“...But nature does not say that cats are more valuable than mice; nature makes no remark on the subject. She does not even say that the cat is enviable or the mouse pitiable. We think the cat superior because we have (or most of us have) a particular philosophy to the effect that life is better than death. But if the mouse were a German pessimist mouse, he might not think that the cat had beaten him at all. He might think he had beaten the cat by getting to the grave first.” IfsThinkingFirstsDoePhilosophyMightLife IsSubjectsEffectsParticularCatValuableGravesSuperiorsMiceBeatenRemarksPessimist Book:The Essential Gilbert K. Chesterton Source: The Essential Gilbert K. Chesterton
“Life is an energy field, a bunch of molecules. And these particular molecules formed to make these four guys, who then formed into this band called the Beatles and did all that work. I have to think that was something metaphysical. Something alchemic. Something that must be thought of as magic.” ThinkingLife IsGuyEnergyFourMagicFieldsParticularBandBunchMetaphysicalMoleculesEnergy Fields Author:Paul McCartney
“When you embrace the mystery and open yourself to it, a new life is created, resistant to the old problems. You will notice at times that the new life isn't what you asked for. But asking for specific items or for particular events to occur isn't how I define prayer. I cannot guarantee that the orders you place with God will always be filled. Prayer is not a test of God, but a call for help to find your inner strength and talent.” HelpingProblemLife IsOrderPrayerMysteryTalentEventsParticularTestsAskingFilledEmbraceGods WillGuaranteesInner StrengthNew LifeItemsGuarantees That Author:Bernie Siegel
“Another thing about creation is that every day it is like it gave birth, and it's always kind of an innocent and refreshing. So it's always virginal to me, and it's always a surprise. ... Each piece seems to have a life of its own. Every little piece or every big piece that I make becomes a very living thing to me, very living. I could make a million pieces; the next piece gives me a whole new thing. It is a new center. Life is total at that particular time. And that's why it's right. That reaffirms my life.” GivingKindLittlesWholeBigsSeemsLife IsArtistNextMillionsPiecesCreationParticularBirthGive MeSurpriseInnocentNew ThingsLiving ThingsRefreshing Author:Louise Berliawsky Nevelson
“Books should confuse. Literature abhors the typical. Literature flows to the particular, the mundane, the greasiness of paper, the taste of warm beer, the smell of onion or quince. Auden has a line: "Ports have names they call the sea." Just so will literature describe life familiarly, regionally, in terms life is accustomed to use -- high or low matters not. Literature cannot by this impulse betray the grandeur of its subject -- there is only one subject: What it feels like to be alive. Nothing is irrelevant. Nothing is typical.” FeelsShouldBookMatterUseLife IsLiteratureNamesTermLinesAliveSeaSubjectsParticularTastePaperLowsFlowWarmSmellBeerImpulseBetrayTypicalIrrelevantAccustomedMundaneGrandeurPortOnionsAudenQuinceTerm Life Book:Brown: The Last Discovery of America Source: Brown: The Last Discovery of America
“When I was in my early 20s I converted to Catholicism after a long period of searching. What I think drew me to the Catholic church is that in Catholicism, prayer suffuses all of one's life by virtue of the sacraments. Prayer is not something which occurs just on Sunday, it doesn't occur only at particular moments of intensity or by particular conventions, one's whole life is given up to prayer in many, many modes. And so everything to do with the faith is trying to put you in relationship with God and trying to make that relationship grow deeper and more mature.” ThinkingTryingLongWholeMomentsLife IsGivenGrowsChurchPrayerVirtueParticularPeriodsCatholicDeeperWhole LifeSundayMatureCatholicismIntensityConventionsSacramentsGiven UpCatholic ChurchRelationship With GodEarly 20s Author:Kevin Hart