The Necklace

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  “SHE WAS one of those pretty, charming young ladies, born, as if through an error of destiny, into a family of clerks. She had no dowry, no hopes, no means of becoming known, appreciated, loved, and married by a man either rich or distinguished; and she allowed herself to marry a petty clerk in the office of the Board of Education. . . .  She had neither frocks nor jewels, nothing. And she loved only those things. She felt that she was made for them. She had such a desire to please, to be sought after, to be clever, and courted.” —THE NECKLACE Guy de Maupassant    France, 1884 (pic by Grok) Read this short story here:  https://americanliterature.com/author/guy-de-maupassant/short-story/the-necklace

Say What They Need to Hear, Even If It Kills You

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Thanks to my darling, sweet, beautiful wife for finding this quote and posting it on her page:

"John the Baptist's message from the wilderness was not, 'Smile, God loves you.' It was 'O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come.' Jeremiah was not put into a miry pit for preaching, 'I'm OK, you're OK.' It was for crying against the adultery, idolatry and other wickedness of his nation. Noah's message from the steps of the ark was not, 'Something good is going to happen to you.' He condemned the world and was a preacher of righteousness. Jesus Christ was not crucified for saying, 'Consider the lilies, how they grow,' but for saying, 'Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites...children of hell ...fools and blind guides ... whited sepulchers...generation of vipers.'"

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