❤ 1. “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.”
I think we all agree that this is easier said than done.
Love all? That's insane! When it comes to love, humans are very selective. That would not be so bad if when we made the choice not to love, we simply remained neutral. But many choose to hate instead. However, truth be told, if each person was told that they only had two arbitrary choices in this life - Love All or Hate All – would we not all choose love? Of course! (Unless you're a spawn of Satan. :lol: )
Trust a few? We are born pure, innocent and carefree souls. Then … life happened! If we are fortunate in life, we learned at an early age “the few” who can be trusted. But for some, lack of trust is their defense mechanism. They suspect everybody and everyone is automatically deemed untrustworthy until those people can prove otherwise. Most of the time people like this have been hurt badly by others they did trust and consequently, nobody will ever get the chance to cause them pain again. The self-defense reaction is normal. But know this. Life will be a very heavy burden if you have absolutely no other human being that you can trust.
Do wrong to none? None? You mean NOBODY? But what if ____________? Everybody has something that goes in that blank. EVERYBODY!! And for many people, their justification is always that wrong was done to them first. But in the end, one can not disagree with the wise words of Master Shakespeare. His advice simply stated is just math. “Two wrongs don't make it right.”
❤ 2. “This above all: to thine own self be true.”
Who knows you better than you know yourself? Even the people you love and hold dear, who you trust the most and would give your heart to, don't know you better than you know yourself. If you lie to yourself and deceive yourself, without me being a mental health professional, I can predict that you're headed for a mental breakdown. Lying is a bad thing to do. Lying to yourself is the worst thing you could ever do! It will lead to delusion. Delusion is defined as an idiosyncratic belief or impression that is firmly maintained despite being contradicted by what is generally accepted as reality or rational argument, typically a symptom of a mental disorder.
❤ 3. “The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed: It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.”
This was the first Shakespearean quote that I was required to memorize and I have never forgotten it. If you never hear another quote or read anything else written by William Shakespeare, read these words, keep them in your heart, and embrace every opportunity you get to show mercy. You, the giver, and the one who receives from you, i.e. the taker, will both be blessed.
No really! Try it! ❤
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