A human being is part of a 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 us. Our task
must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion
to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.
~ Albert Einstein