"Perfect happiness, I believe, was never intended by the Deity to be the
lot of one of his creatures in this world; but that He has very much
put it in our power the nearness of our approach to it, is what I have
steadfastly believed.
"The most fortunate of us, in our journey through life, frequently meet
with calamities and misfortunes, which may greatly afflict us; and
to fortify our minds against the attacks of these calamities and
misfortunes should be one of the principal studies and endeavors of our
lives.
"The only method of doing this is to assume a perfect resignation to the
Divine will, to consider that whatever does happen must happen, and that
by our uneasiness we cannot prevent the blow before it does fall, but we
may add to its force after it has fallen.
"These considerations, and others such as these, may enable us in some
measure to surmount the difficulties thrown in our way, to bear up with
a tolerable degree of patience under this burden of life, and to proceed
with a pious and unshaken resignation till we arrive at our journey's
end, when we may deliver up our trust into the hands of Him who gave
it, and receive such reward as to Him shall seem proportionate to our
merits."
THOMAS JEFFERSON.
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