"Narrow Door" Excerpt

Excerpts from "Narrow Gate"#

The past is fragmented and shattered, but I don't intend to connect and patch it up with fictional facts. Such embellishments would extinguish the enthusiasm of storytelling, and the last trace of interest would also vanish.#

You must strive to enter the narrow gate.#

You must strive to enter the narrow gate, because the wide gate and broad road lead to destruction, and many enter through it. But the narrow gate and narrow road lead to eternal life, and only a few find it.#

This moment of inner enlightenment made me realize myself: I am introverted and not very cheerful. Although I long for care from others, I am indifferent to others. I lack ambition, except for wanting to achieve victory in self-discipline, I have no other dreams. I enjoy studying, but when it comes to playing, I only enjoy games that require mental effort or hard work. I rarely socialize with classmates of the same age, and occasionally playing with them is only to maintain friendship or out of politeness.#

"I understand completely. It means we reunite with great excitement at the object of our common worship. It is because I want to reunite with you that I worship the object you worship." "Your motive for worship is impure." "Don't demand too much from me. If you are not in heaven, I won't go to that heaven either."#

I believe that death can bring people closer... Yes, it can bring people closer who were separated in life.#

Why do we need to get engaged? Knowing that we have each other and it will never change, isn't that enough? Why announce it to the world? If I am willing to dedicate my life to her, do you really think we need vows to maintain this love and make it more beautiful? No, vows are an insult to love for me... I only desire to enter into a marriage contract with her when I don't trust her."#

You are much older than me, and that worries me. You haven't had a chance to meet other women yet, maybe you haven't realized that. But I have thought about it, and if I commit myself to you and you no longer love me, I will be more miserable.#

"Same as my response: saying I am still too young, it's too early to talk about marriage... Unfortunately," she said with a smile, "Auntie anticipated our opposition and wrote in a postscript to the letter: Mr. Edward Taisier (that's his name) agrees to wait for me. He proposed so early just to 'get in line'... It's ridiculous. But what can I do? I can't tell people he's too ugly!"#

It is evident that she enthusiastically agrees with me because she is concerned about my studies and offers encouragement, not driven by spiritual motives. I believe that evaluation, argument, and criticism are just ways of expressing thoughts, but she is the opposite, using all of these to conceal her inner self.#

Aunt Plumtree will also disappear without a trace, leaving only a jacket; the brilliantly lit Christmas tree will sing the glory of the Lord like the mountains in the Bible."#

In my life, besides love, I cannot find any other meaning, so I hold onto it tightly. Besides waiting for my lover to come, I don't wait for anything else, and I don't want to wait.#

What a powerful magic to overcome the world, leading me to meet God? Those who depend on others will surely encounter misfortune.#

Her previous letters seemed so joyful, and I actually worried that she was pretending to be happy, deceiving me and herself. Her happiness today is completely different from the happiness she dreamed of in the past...#

The local scenery and people's laughter make me unhappy. What I call "melancholy" is perhaps just not as noisy as theirs. There must have been some pride in my past joy.#

We have so much to say, so why is it still so awkward, so artificial, so powerless, so silent? On the first day of your return, I felt happy facing this silence. Because I always believed it would dissipate, and before leaving, you would say something wonderful to me.#

All our communication is just a mirage. Oh! Jerome! Jerome! Let's be forever apart!#

I love you so deeply, yet I am so desperate. I must admit, you can see it too: the farther away you are, the more I love you. Ah, I also anticipated this! This long-awaited reunion made me fully understand it, so my friend, it is crucial for you to believe the same. Farewell, my beloved brother, may God bless and guide you, and only in His presence can we reunite without punishment.#

I have learned to bear the heart-wrenching sadness and burden alone, so this admonition is completely unnecessary for me.#

Let's agree on a secret signal. If you see it, it means I must leave Fingal's Moor the next day. And the next day, I will leave without complaint or blame, do you agree?" I was not prepared for these words, but I said them very naturally. She thought for a moment and replied, "When I go downstairs for dinner, if I'm not wearing the amethyst cross you love on my neck... then you will understand, right?" "That will be my last night here."#

Besides happiness, what else can the soul pursue?" I exclaimed impulsively. She whispered softly, "The divine..." Her voice was so low. It was more like something I guessed rather than heard.#

I elevated Alisa little by little, shaping her into an idol and adorning her with everything I liked. But now, apart from weariness, what remains of this endeavor? If left to chance, Alisa will descend back to mediocrity, and I will be the same. If I am at that level, I will no longer love her. In order to meet her at the same height, I raised her solely through my own efforts. This is exhausting.#

I elevated Alisa little by little, shaping her into an idol and adorning her with everything I liked. But now, apart from weariness, what remains of this endeavor? If left to chance, Alisa will descend back to mediocrity, and I will be the same. If I am at that level, I will no longer love her.#

"They did not receive what was promised because God had something better for them..." We always worry that our understanding is not thorough enough, and we are always restless."#

What makes me angry is that besides sacrificing my own happiness, she can also find a path to happiness elsewhere. In other words, she can be happy without me making sacrifices. Now, there is no news from Jerome.#

What makes me angry is that besides sacrificing my own happiness, she can also find a path to happiness elsewhere. In other words, she can be happy without me making sacrifices.#

I enjoy practicing piano exercises because I feel that I make progress every day. Perhaps this is also why I enjoy reading foreign language books. It's not because I prefer foreign languages over my native language, nor because I think foreign authors are better than domestic ones. It's because there is a slight difficulty in understanding the meaning and emotions in foreign languages. Once I overcome it and understand better, there may be an unconscious sense of pride. It adds a certain inexplicable satisfaction to the joy of the mind. It seems that I cannot do without this satisfaction.#

Sometimes, in order to break free from his writing rhythm, I try to write poorly. But the fact that I am resisting him also shows that I am still thinking about him.#

How mediocre and sad are the virtues I possess! Have I demanded too much of myself? Stop suffering. How weak must my will be to constantly beg God for strength! Now, my prayers are filled with gloom and despair.#

Since this morning, my heart has been calm. Last night, I spent the whole night contemplating and praying, and suddenly, I felt a clear silence surrounding me, enveloping me. It was exactly as I imagined the Holy Spirit during my childhood. I was worried that this joy was just due to nervous excitement, so I immediately lay down to sleep and quickly fell asleep. This happiness did not leave me, and it still exists this morning, without any weakening. Now I am certain that he is coming.#

Nothing that does not belong to God can satisfy my expectations."#

EuDs

"Narrow Door" Excerpt

Excerpts from "Narrow Gate"#

The past is fragmented and shattered, but I don't intend to connect and patch it up with fictional facts. Such embellishments would extinguish the enthusiasm of storytelling, and the last trace of interest would also vanish.#

You must strive to enter the narrow gate.#

You must strive to enter the narrow gate, because the wide gate and broad road lead to destruction, and many enter through it. But the narrow gate and narrow road lead to eternal life, and only a few find it.#

I believe that death can bring people closer... Yes, it can bring people closer who were separated in life.#

You are much older than me, and that worries me. You haven't had a chance to meet other women yet, maybe you haven't realized that. But I have thought about it, and if I commit myself to you and you no longer love me, I will be more miserable.#

Aunt Plumtree will also disappear without a trace, leaving only a jacket; the brilliantly lit Christmas tree will sing the glory of the Lord like the mountains in the Bible."#

In my life, besides love, I cannot find any other meaning, so I hold onto it tightly. Besides waiting for my lover to come, I don't wait for anything else, and I don't want to wait.#

What a powerful magic to overcome the world, leading me to meet God? Those who depend on others will surely encounter misfortune.#

Her previous letters seemed so joyful, and I actually worried that she was pretending to be happy, deceiving me and herself. Her happiness today is completely different from the happiness she dreamed of in the past...#

The local scenery and people's laughter make me unhappy. What I call "melancholy" is perhaps just not as noisy as theirs. There must have been some pride in my past joy.#

We have so much to say, so why is it still so awkward, so artificial, so powerless, so silent? On the first day of your return, I felt happy facing this silence. Because I always believed it would dissipate, and before leaving, you would say something wonderful to me.#

All our communication is just a mirage. Oh! Jerome! Jerome! Let's be forever apart!#

I have learned to bear the heart-wrenching sadness and burden alone, so this admonition is completely unnecessary for me.#

Besides happiness, what else can the soul pursue?" I exclaimed impulsively. She whispered softly, "The divine..." Her voice was so low. It was more like something I guessed rather than heard.#

I elevated Alisa little by little, shaping her into an idol and adorning her with everything I liked. But now, apart from weariness, what remains of this endeavor? If left to chance, Alisa will descend back to mediocrity, and I will be the same. If I am at that level, I will no longer love her.#

"They did not receive what was promised because God had something better for them..." We always worry that our understanding is not thorough enough, and we are always restless."#

What makes me angry is that besides sacrificing my own happiness, she can also find a path to happiness elsewhere. In other words, she can be happy without me making sacrifices. Now, there is no news from Jerome.#

What makes me angry is that besides sacrificing my own happiness, she can also find a path to happiness elsewhere. In other words, she can be happy without me making sacrifices.#

Sometimes, in order to break free from his writing rhythm, I try to write poorly. But the fact that I am resisting him also shows that I am still thinking about him.#

How mediocre and sad are the virtues I possess! Have I demanded too much of myself? Stop suffering. How weak must my will be to constantly beg God for strength! Now, my prayers are filled with gloom and despair.#

Nothing that does not belong to God can satisfy my expectations."#

"Do you want to forget sooner?" "I want to never forget."#