Seven times I have despised my soul
The first time when I saw her being meek that she may attain height
The second time when I saw her limping before the crippled.
The third time when she was given to choose between the hard and the easy and chose the easy.
The fourth time when she committed a wrong, and comforted herself that others also commit wrong.
The fifth when she forbore for weakness and attributed her patience to strength.
The sixth when she despised the ugliness of a face, and knew not that it was one of her own masks
The seventh time when she sang a song of praise, and deemed it a virtue.
Khalil Gibran
The Voice of Silence 