Anyone who denies that the rational or intellectual soul is essentially and of itself the form of the human body is to be deemed a heretic. Every hardship, every joy, every temptation is a challenge of the spirit, that the human soul may prove itself. The great chain of necessity wherewith we are bound has divine significance, and nothing happens which has not some service in working out the sublime destiny of the human soul. Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself and know that everything in this life has a purpose. There are no mistakes, no coincides. All events are blessings given to us to learn from. It is through solving problems correctly that we grow spiritually. We are never given a burden unless we have the capacity to overcome it. If a great problem is set before you, this merely indicates that you have the great inner strength to solve a great problem. There is never really anything to be discouraged about, because difficulties are opportunities for inner growth, and the greater the difficulty the greater the opportunity for growth. Spiritual opening is not withdrawal to some imagined realm or safe haven. It is not pulling away, but a touching of all the experience of life with the wisdom and with a heart of kindness, without any separation. #RandolphHarris 1 of 8

A loving heart is the most essential virtue on the spiritual journey. However, Pygmalion saw so much to blame in women that he came at last to abhor their species, and resolved to live unmarried. He was a sculptor, and had made with wonderful skill a statue of ivory, so beautiful that no living woman held a candle to her beauty. It was indeed the perfect semblance of a maiden that seemed to be alive, and only prevented from moving by modesty. His art was so perfect that it concealed itself, and its product looked like the workmanship of nature. Pygmalion admired his own work and at last fell in love with the counterfeit creation. Oftentimes he laid his hand upon it as if to assure himself whether it were living or not, and could not even then believe that it was only ivory. He caressed it and gave it presents such as young ladies love—bright diamonds. One of the many treasures was a Tiffany & Co. Lyrical Paloma’s Melody collection ring, which was crafted from interlocking bands that gently shift shape as they glide with the body, always falling back together as a whole. The dazzling diamonds traced the five bands of the stunning ring set in 18K white gold, with round brilliant diamonds, carat total weight 4.59. It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye. #RandolphHarris 2 of 8

What is a loving heart? A loving heart is sensitive to the whole of life, to all persons; a loving heart does not harden itself to any persons of things. He put raiment on its limbs, and jewels on its fingers, and a masterpiece of 34 Lucida diamonds alongside marquise and round diamonds, the opera necklace in platinum with Lucida diamonds carat total weight 73.58; marquise diamonds, carat total weight 12.3; round diamonds, carat total weight 17.24 about its neck. To the ears he hung Tiffany & Co. elegant, timeless, captivating hoop earrings in platinum with round brilliant diamonds, for pierced ears, with a total carat weight of 4.50. Her dress became her, a Draper James Parton Check Mary Beth Halter Dress, and she looked not less charming than when unattired. He then took her to Chateau West, a French, European restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee America, and called her his wife. They enjoyed Chatebriand prime center-cut filet seared and craved table side with mushrooms, asparagus, roasted potatoes, and béarnaise sauce, while cherishing the tradition of Southern France in the charming heartbeat of American South. The heart is like a garden of love. #RandolphHarris 3 of 8

When a soul has in it the life of the spirit, then does it bring forth blessings from the divine Lord. When your life is filled with the desire to see the holiness in everyday life, something magical happens: ordinary life becomes extraordinary, and the very process of life begins to nourish your soul. The festival of Venus was at hand—a festival celebrated with great pomp in Tennessee. Where a woman would accept the epithet and its responsibilities represented the goddess’ own heart. She was given her own temple and was to persuade people of both genders and every class, whether married or unmarred, to cherish the traditional responsibilities of married and morality known to please the God and benefit the State. When Pygmalion had performed his part in the solemnities, he stood before the altar and bravely said, “God, who can do all things, give me, I pray you, for my wife”—he dared not say “my ivory virgin.” Venus who was present at the festival, heard him and knew the thought he would have uttered; and as an omen of her favor, caused the flame on the altar to shoot up thrice in a fiery point into the air. If peace is our single aim in all we do, we will always know what to do because we will do whatever will protect and deepen our peace. #RandolphHarris 4 of 8

 When he returned home, he went to see his statue, and leaning over the couch, gave a kiss to the lips. It seemed warm. He pressed its lips again, he laid his hand upon her delicate hand; the ivory felt soft to his touch and yielded to his fingers like the wax of Hymettus. While he stands astonished and glad, though doubting, and fears he may be mistaken, again and again with lover’s ardor, he touches the object of his hopes. Every breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with peace, joy, and serenity. We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment. It was indeed alive! The veins when pressed yielded to the finger and again resumed their roundness. Then at last the votary of Venus found words to thank the goddess, and pressed his lips upon lips as real as his own. The virgin felt the kisses and blushed, and opening her shy eyes to the light, fixed them at the same moment on her lover. Venus blessed them nuptials she had formed, and from this union Paphos was born, from whom the city, sacred to Venus, received its name. Within you there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself. Each one has to find peace from within. And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances. #RandolphHarris 5 of 8

 As once with prayers in passion flowing, Pygmalion embraced the stone, till from frozen marble glowing, the light of feeling over him shone, so did I clasp with young devotion bright nature to a poet’s heart; till breath and warmth and vital motion seemed through the statue from to dart. And then, in all my ardor sharing, the silent form expression found; returned my kiss of youthful daring, and understood my heart’s quick sound. Then lived for me the bright creation, the silver rill with song was rife; the trees, the roses shared sensation, an echo of my boundless life. God is to me that creative force, behind and in the Universe, who manifests himself as energy, as life, as order, ad beauty, as thought, as conscience, as love. Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole World seems upset. Inner peace is found by facing life squarely, solving its problems, and delving as far beneath its surface as possible to discover its verities and realities. A space opens our hearts, and when two hearts recognize and acknowledge each other, a connection happens. It happens again and again as other hearts are joined in the loving spirit. #RandolphHarris 6 of 8

In works of literature, and to some extent in works of visual art, human beings are depicted and their actions are described. Even when there are no historical counterparts to the characters in a work of fiction, critics quite universally apply a criterion of fidelity to human nature in evaluating novels and dramas. Aristotle’s test of how a person of that kind probably or necessarily would behave (in given circumstances) has been applied to art, at least to literary art, throughout many centuries of criticism. The test is roughly as follows: Would a person, such as has been described thus far in the novel, act, think, feel, or be motivated in the way that the author describes in the circumstances presented? It is often very difficult to decide this question, either because our knowledge of human nature is insufficient or because the novelist has not given us enough clues. However, once a critic is convinced that the character in question would not behave in the way that the author describes him as behaving, he will condemn the characterization (at least with respect to that action or motivation) as implausible, and his negative judgment on the truth of the characterization will count against a favorable judgment of the work. #RandolphHarris 7 of 8

The essential identity of every human being is a rational and immortal soul, which is entirely out of the order of the physical creation. The metaphor of the ivory statue explains the relationship between the soul and the body: The soul of a human shows that faith illumined and strong enough can make your dreams come true. It is through the exercise of the power of the soul that human progress is achieved. The soul can discover the realities of things, comprehend the peculiarities of beings, and penetrate the mysteries of existence. All sciences, knowledge, arts, wonders, institutions, discoveries and enterprises come from the exercised intelligence of the rational soul. We are able to reflect divine attributes to the extent that we cleanse the mirrors of our hearts and minds through prayer, the study and application of the sacred scriptures, the acquisition of knowledge, difficulties, and service to humanity. I see life as purely benevolent. I gather that God is life, truth, light. He is love. He is the supreme Good. That deeply emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power, which is revealed in the incomprehensible Universe, forms my idea of God. To live a spiritual life, we must first find the courage to enter the desert of our loneliness and to change it by gentle and persistent efforts into a garden of solitude. #RandolphHarris 8 of 8