Thursday, November 27, 2008

Bertrand Russell:

Three passions have governed my life: The longings for love, the search for knowledge, And unbearable pity for the suffering of [humankind].

Love brings ecstasy and relieves loneliness. In the union of love I have seen In a mystic miniature the prefiguring vision Of the heavens that saints and poets have imagined.

With equal passion I have sought knowledge. I have wished to understand the hearts of [people]. I have wished to know why the stars shine.

Love and knowledge led upwards to the heavens, But always pity brought me back to earth; Cries of pain reverberated in my heart Of children in famine, of victims tortured And of old people left helpless. I long to alleviate the evil, but I cannot, And I too suffer.

This has been my life; I found it worth living.

adapted

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

dear xxxxxx,
u have very heart-touchingly selected & posted BR's passions . Indeed, a normal or intelligent person did imbibe true love & humane in him . This world worth a living , may or may not be the happy moments or sufferings turn up well or unwell all that time one lives.