Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Build Friendships or Eat Your Own Heart

“Those who lack friends to open themselves unto are cannibals of their own hearts….This communicating of a man’s self to his friends works two contrary effects; for it redoubles joys and cuts griefs in half.” (Francis Bacon, “Of Friendship,” 1625)

Quoted by David Powlison in his interview with C.J.

2 comments:

Julianne said...

These words humble me and remind me that I am not able to sustain myself on my own will. I need others, and what's more, I was created for relationship.

These words were what I needed to hear this night, thank you.

Laurie M. said...

I read this in the morning and then was reminded of it during a radio program about a Guantanamo detainee who was kept in solitary for over a year with no human contact. The guest being interviewed was explaining that this sort of treatment is known to lead to madness.