“How small we humans are. All our scrambling around, trying to buttress ourselves against death. All our efforts to insulate ourselves against uncertainty with codes of behavior and meaningless busyness.”

“We define ourselves by comparing ourselves to the things around us. But what if all those things against which you compare yourself weren't there. How tall would you be then?”

“How small, of all that human hearts endure,That part which laws or kings can cause or cure.Still to ourselves in every place consign'd,Our own felicity we make or find:”

“Sometimes we do that to ourselves -- we pit our desires against one another. We insist unnecessarily on seeing one aspect of our personality as being at odds with the rest of ourselves. ”

“And often enough, when we think we are protecting ourselves, we are struggling against our rescuer.”

“But when we consider how small after all the cup of human enjoyment is, how soon overflowed with tears, how easily drained to the dregs in our quenchless thirst for infinity, we shall not blame ourselves for making so much of the tea-cup.”