We all know Albert Einstein as the father of modern science but what many of us don't realize is that he is also an excellent philosopher. The letter below by Einstein was written in response to an individual that had sought advice in overcoming the loss of a loved one
"A human being is a part of a whole, called by us ‘universe’, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest… a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
What a pleasant surprise to see someone with so much intellect in both the field of science as well as affairs of the heart. Though perfect happiness is as real as a utopian city, one can never be wrong in striving to achieve such happiness. This letter resonates well within me. It goes with the grain of what I stand for which is to eliminate as much unnecessary externalities as my capabilities can, and milk as much optimism from life instead.
Our love should go beyond those whom directly and tangibly affect us. It's barely enough. Perhaps a greater appreciation towards the things that we rarely notice may do us some good too, as ironic as it sounds. We must educate our young in tandem with this mentality in order to cultivate a deeper level of mutual respect to our global counterparts. Maybe only then will strife and conflicts within and between countries cease to exist, or at the very least, kept to a minimal level.
To end this post, I suggest you take a closer look at the photo above and discover some of the lesser known quips of wisdom and knowledge from none other than Albert Einstein.
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