There is one responsibility which no man can evade; that responsibility is his personal influence. Man's unconscious influence is the silent, subtle radiation of personality--the effect of his words and his actions on others. This radiation is tremendous. Every moment of life man is changing, to a degree, the life of the whole world.
Every man has an atmosphere which is affecting every other man. He cannot escape for one moment from his radiation of his character, this constant weakening or strengthening of others. Man cannot evade the responsibility by merely saying that it is an unconscious influence.
Man can select the qualities he would permit to be radiated. He can cultivate sweetness, calmness, trust, generosity, truth, justice, loyalty, nobility and make them vitally active in his character. And by these qualities he will constantly affect the world.
This radiation, to which I refer, comes from what a person really is, not from what he pretends to be. Every man by his mere living is radiating either sympathy, sorrow, morbidness, cynicism, or happiness and hope or any one of a hundred other qualities.
Life is a state of radiation and absorption. To exist is to radiate; to exist is to be the recipient of radiation.
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2 comments:
this one relates well to both previous General Authority quotations; Elder Oaks 2000 and President Hinckley 1995. Laura's Mom really likes this quote and Laura took it from her and it's hanging in our house.
Ethan,
I admire your desire and ability to select and memorize a scripture every day. I worked on memorizing the Family Proclamation for over two years and wasn't ever able to say the whole thing clear through. But I did get the paragraphs all memorized. They just don't STAY memorized long enough for me to recite them. In response to your dedication to this project, I am going to read your scripture blog every day and do my best to internalize the message of the scripture for the coming 24-hour period. I'm so proud of you, Ethan. You inspire me to be a better person, and that's COOL.
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