A human being is part of the whole, called by us the
"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. Nobody is able to achieve this
completely, but the striving for such achievement is in
itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner
security.
                                  Albert Einstein