Compassion

By Albert Einstein

"A human being is part of the whole,
called by us Universe,
a part limited in time and space.

He experiences himself,
his thoughts and feelings,
as something separated from the rest -
a kind of OPTICAL DELUSION of his consciousness.

This delusion is a kind of prison for us,
restricting us to our personal desires and
affection for a few persons nearest to us.

Our task must be to free ourselves from his prison
by widening our circle of compassion -
to embrace all living creatures and
the whole of nature in its beauty.

Nobody is able to achieve this completely,
but the striving for such achievement is, in itself,
a part of the liberation and a
foundation for inner security."

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