I keep a book on my desk: The Essence of Zen: An Anthology of Quotations. When I feel the need to reflect on myself, life in general, and the world I live in, I pick it up. I find myself doing thumbing through the book frequently.
This morning, after I got home from a four and a half mile walk in the darkness, I picked it up. These words struck a chord with me:
Within yourself is a stillness and a sanctuary
to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.
~ Hermann Hesse Your vision will become clear only
when you look into your heart.
Who looks outside, dreams.
Who looks inside, awakes.
~ Carl Jung Love not what you are
but what you may become.
~ Miguel de Cervantes The real voyage of discovery
consists not in seeking new landscapes
but in having new eyes.
~ Marcel Proust He who knows
he has enough
is rich.
~ Lao-Tzu
You remind me that I should keep a book like this nearby at all times. Thank you for that.