In the name of the best within you, do not sacrifice this world to those who are its worst.
In the name of the values that keep you alive, do not let your vision of man be distorted by the ugly, the cowardly, the mindless in those who have never achieved his title.
Do not lose your knowledge that man’s proper estate is an upright posture, an intransigent mind and step that travels unlimited roads.
Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all.
Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach.
Check your road and the nature of your battle.
The world you desire can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours. Ayn
It’s ironic that Ayn Rand has been quoted by so many who have been shown to be greedy, corrupt frauds by the current financial crisis. (current company excepted, of course). In my mind, they are the cowardly and the ugly, the worst of this world.
John,
it is ironic isn’t it? I’ve carried this quote around for years — its been a favorite of mine to help me lift myself out of the doldrums and do something. Things not going the way you want and you feel attacked? I love Check Your Road and The Nature of Your Battle.
I haven’t seen the greedy, corrupt frauds quoting this before. How crazy!
thanks for reading! Deb