#elf

Whether you say you can't or you can, you're right. ↗

— Walt Disney Company

#empowerment

The pressure of adversity is the most powerful sustainer of accountability. It's as though everything you do is multiplied by 50 in order to surpass those with a head-start. I was never capable of slacking when at the threshold of failure. ↗

— Criss Jami

#adversity #compel #drive #endure #failure

It is the philosophers, theologians, and evangelists who are said to be filled with pride and bigotry due to the strong convictions that they represent. On the contrary, teachings can be either taken or dismissed; whereas voting is the only thing the average person can do to force everyone to live how they would prefer. A simple vote is among the largest yet most acceptable forms of bigotry, and that is because people play the card only when they feel that in doing so it conveniences themselves. ↗

— Criss Jami

#bigotry #convenience #convictions #evangelists #hypocrisy

Hypocrisy is wretched because the hypocrite says with his tongue what is not in his heart. He wrongs his tongue and oppresses his heart. But if the heart is sound, the condition of the tongue follows suit. We are commanded to be upright in speech, which is a gauge of the heart's state. ↗

— Hamza Yusuf

#spirituality #hypocrisy

The first step toward being loved is learning to love what you see when you look in the mirror. ↗

— Tadahiko Nagao

#love

I think perfect love is any time you love unconditionally, without selfish intent, without concern for personal gain. ↗

— Erin McCarthy

#perfect #unselfish #love

This is what Jesus had in mind: folks coming together, forming close-knit communities and meeting each other's needs-- no kings, no major welfare systems, no presidents necessary. His is a theology and practice for the people of God, not a set of suggestions for empire. ↗

— Shane Claiborne

#jesus #need #politics #welfare #theology

Do not believe anything merely because you are told it is so, because others believe it, because it comes from Tradition, or because you have imagined it. Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect. Believe, take for your doctrine, and hold true to that, which, after serious investigation, seems to you to further the welfare of all beings. (47) ↗

— Jean-Yves Leloup

#belief #believe #doctrine #teachers #teaching

I used to wonder why Lucy liked those songs so much. You know what I mean? She sits in the dark and listens and cries. Music does that to her...I didn't understand for a long time. But I do now. The sad songs are a safe hurt. It's a diversion. It's controlled. And maybe it helps you imagine that real pain will be like that. But it's not. Lucy knows that, of course. You can't prepare for real pain. You just have to let it rip you apart. ↗

— Harlan Coben

#self-description #imagination

There should always be one more cat than person, so everyone has one to pet, and I have two to myself. 
 ↗

— Jarod Kintz

#cats #pet #pets #selfishness #share