“Authority, as you usually think of it, is merely the excuse the strong use to make others conform to what they want.”

“When you chose independence over relationship, you became a danger to one another. Others became objects to be manipulated or managed for your own happiness. Authority as you usually think of it, is merely the excues the strone ones use to make others conform to what they want.”

“You want to know why I live here, in this ‘hovel’; I think thatis the word you used, based on your civilized and educatedperception?”There was no use denying it. “Yes, I was wondering. Sowhy?”“It was the best you could give me.” She didn’t turn from herwork.“Excuse me? The best ‘I’ could give you? I had nothing to dowith this. I could build you something much better, but not this.How could you think…?”“It’s all right, Anthony! I have no expectations. I am grateful tohave found even this small place in your heart. I travel light”—she smiled as if at some secret thought—“and I make my homeinside the simplest gifts. There is nothing to feel bad or ashamedabout. I am thoroughly grateful, and being here is a joy!”“So… because this is me, my world somehow, I have onlymade this small place for you?”

“I am what some would say 'holy, and wholly other than you.' The problem is that many folks try to grasp some sense of who I am by taking the best version of themselves, projecting that to the nth degree, factoring in all the goodness they can perceive, which often isn't much, and then call that God. And while it may seem like a noble effort, the truth is that it falls pitifully short of who I really am. I'm not merely the best version of you that you can think of. I am far more than that, above and beyond all that you can ask or think.”

“Paradigms power perception and perceptions power emotions. Most emotions are responses to perception - what you think is true about a given situation. If your perception is false, then your emotional response to it will be false too. So check your perceptions, and beyond that check the truthfulness of your paradigms - what you believe. Just because you believe something firmly doesn't make it true. Be willing to reexamine what you believe.”

“Mack, don't you see how filling roles is the opposite of relationship? We want male and female to be counterparts, face-to-face equals, each unique and different, distinctive in gender but complementary, and each empowered uniquely by Sarayu from whom all true power and authority originates.”

“I don't just want a piece of you and a piece of your life. Even if you were able, which you are not, to give me the biggest piece, that is not what I want. I want all of you and all of every part of you and your day.”