"The perfection of moral character consists in this, in passing every day as the last, and in being neither violently excited, nor torpid, nor playing the hypocrite."
Marcus Aurelius.
"When night comes, list thy deeds; make plain the way
'Twixt heaven and thee; block it not with delays:
But perfect all before thou sleep'st; then say,
'There's one Sun more strung on my Bead of days.'
What's good store up for Joy, the bad, well scann'd,
Wash off with tears, and get thy Master's hand."
Henry Vaughan.
OCTOBER 30
"Gaining or losing all the time is our condition, morally and spiritually. We cannot stand utterly still. If we are not improving we are losing ground. Outside forces compel that, in addition to the forces that are working within. We are pressing forward and being helped in that direction, or we are being pressed backward and are yielding to that pressure. Let us not deceive ourselves with the idea that even though we are making no progress we are at least holding our own. We can no more stand still than time can."
"Whose high endeavours are an inward light,
That makes the path before him always bright.
"And through the heat of conflict, keeps the law
In calmness made, and sees what he foresaw.
"Who, not content that former worth stand fast,
Looks forward persevering to the last,
From well to better, daily self-surpassed."
The Happy Warrior, Wordsworth.