“When you think about the worst that could happen, you should resist this temptation to make yourself the centre of the world. Turn away from the injustice of being falsely condemned or the despair of being utterly alone. Quash the thought of losing a child. On this melancholy subject, at least, I am with Smith rather than William Blake: instead of trying to hold infinity in the palm of your hand, broaden your gaze and contemplate a tragedy for the whole of humanity.”
From Intelligent Life
I do this all the time. One of my boys steps close to the window and suddenly I am swept away into a future without him. How hard would I cry? How devastating would it be? How would my friends and family react to my devastation … and therein lies the wisdom of the above quote.
Stroking my sadness is not me testing my ability to cry, but reveling in a false godhead while the world around me burns.
