339

In thinking that there was something you had to prove to others, you failed to prove yourself to the one person who actually mattered to prove yourself to—yourself.

338

It is the most paradoxical sensation to be afraid of nothing in the mind—not suffering, not failure, not uncertainty, not loss nor death—and yet, at the same time, to still feel the fear itself.

I am so hyper-aware of the fear and how it can prey upon me, while also being unable to wrest it from this tender heart.

Remember to embrace this feeling, and remember also to embrace the concern. Stop thinking that they are disparate, or in need of fixing; they are something in need of union.

337

Thank you.

That’s all that needs to be said. For now.

336

Having courage does not necessitate the absence of fear; it is the ability to persist in spite of it.

335

Preparing for loss is not the same as admitting loss.

Fight for what you have, and if it means enough to you, fight for it until the grave.

But the moment you can discern that it has become unrecoverable, don’t hinder yourself from moving on.

334

It doesn’t need to be this complicated.

No, it honestly doesn’t.

The problem is that we made it complicated, and it’s too late to go back.

333

We do not need to fight in wars to prevent wars, and we do not need to mindlessly give away all of our wealth and time, or to sacrifice our personal health and well-being to make things better.

What matters is that we do not take our privileges for granted and that we recognize the gravity of our action and inaction alike in the fight of good against evil.

If we truly want the world to be a better place to live in for us all, remember—however significant or insignificant we perceive each action to be—that no practice of gratitude, generosity, kindness, and love is without consequence, and, conversely, no practice of bitterness, spite, profligacy, and hate is without consequence. If we neglect this responsibility, we have no right to complain when we observe all the conflict, suffering, and death inflicted upon our world.

Enjoy the fruits of our labor, but never forget that the battle between good and evil rages on and, more importantly, that you do not have a choice to opt out of it.

332

If living with genuine, extraordinary kindness, compassion, and generosity leads me into misfortune, then so be it.

I wouldn’t have done it any other way anyhow.

331

Patience—your ability to accept what fate has in store for you.

330

So much fear of failure, of embarrassment, of loss.

So are you also afraid of improving yourself and gaining resilience from experience?

Afraid of shielding yourself from the opinions of people like that?

Afraid of learning to find happiness with less?

Be brave. Don’t let your mind be governed by present emotion.