If one believed in angels one would feel that they must love us best when we are asleep and cannot hurt each other; and what a mercy it is that once in every twenty-four hours we are too utterly weary to go on being unkind.
Interpretation
This quote suggests that true kindness comes during moments of vulnerability, such as sleep, when we cannot inflict harm on each other.
Elizabeth Von Arnim reflects on the notion that if angels existed, they would appreciate humanity in its peaceful, unguarded state during sleep. This emphasizes the beauty of human nature when it is free from the conflict and unkindness that often occurs in waking hours. The quote highlights a mercy in our daily lives—a natural respite from hostility when we are too exhausted to continue our unkind behaviors.
In practice
During a meditation session, one might reflect on the importance of kindness illustrated by this quote.
[Walking] is the perfect way of moving if you want to see into the life of things. It is the one way of freedom. If you go to a place on anything but your own feet you are taken there too fast, and miss a thousand delicate joys that were waiting for you by the wayside.
On wet days I will go into the thickest parts of the forest, where the pine needles are everlastingly dry, and when the sun shines I'll lie on the heath and see how the broom flares against the clouds. I shall be perpetually happy, because there will be no one to worry me.
I want to be as idle as I can, so that my soul may have time to grow.
The Great Seal was an early proclamation of 'humanitarian intervention,' to use the currently fashionable phrase.
I am never less alone than when alone.
The difference between theism and nontheism is not whether one does or does not believe in God. . . Theism is a deep-seated conviction that there's some hand to hold: if we just do the right things, someone will appreciate us and take care of us. . . Nontheism is relaxing with the ambiguity and uncertainty of the present moment without reaching for anything to protect ourselves.
Every church that has a standard higher than human welfare is dangerous.
The justification and the purpose of freedom of speech is not to indulge those who want to speak their minds. It is to prevent error and discover truth. There may be other ways of detecting error and discovering truth than that of free discussion, but so far we have not found them.
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical.
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