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Prayer Quote by John Steinbeck

“I ain't sayin' I'm like Jesus," the preacher went on. "But I got tired like Him, an' I got mixed up like Him, an' I went into the wilderness like Him, without no campin' stuff. Nighttime I'd lay on my back an' look up at the stars; morning I'd set an' watch the sun come up; midday I'd look out…” quote by John Steinbeck
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““I ain't sayin' I'm like Jesus," the preacher went on. "But I got tired like Him, an' I got mixed up like Him, an' I went into the wilderness like Him, without no campin' stuff. Nighttime I'd lay on my back an' look up at the stars; morning I'd set an' watch the sun come up; midday I'd look out from a hill at the rollin' dry country; evenin' I'd foller the sun down. Sometimes I'd pray like I always done. On'y I couldn' figure out what I was prayin' to or for. There was the hills, an' there was me, an' we wasn't separate no more. We was one thing. An' that one thing was holy...An' I got thinkin', on'y it wasn't thinkin', it was deeper down than thinkin'. I got thinkin' how we was holy when we was one thing, and' mankin' was holy when it was one thing. An' it on'y got unholy when mis'able little fella got the bit in his teeth an' run off his own way, kickin' and draggin' and fightin'. Fella like that bust the holiness. But when they're all workin' together, no one fella for another fella, but one fella kind of harnessed to the whole shebang -- that's right, that's holy. An' then I got to thinkin' I don't even know what I mean by holy...I can't say no grace like I use' ta say. I'm glad of the holiness of breakfast. I'm glad there's love here. That's all.””

John Steinbeck

About This Quote

Source Novel: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, 1939

The narrator reflects on feeling a deep, shared holiness with nature and humanity, suggesting that unity and collective purpose create sacredness, while selfishness breaks it.

In simple terms: Feeling connected to everything makes life sacred.

Key Takeaway

Seek unity, avoid selfishness.

Themes

spirituality unity humanity holiness collectivism

Mood

reflective contemplative hopeful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • camping alone
  • watching sunrise
  • praying
  • working together
  • daily routines

Key Concepts

interconnectedness transcendence purpose

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you experience unity in daily life?
  • When does selfishness break communal harmony?
A Different Perspective

Holiness may be personal and hard to define, limiting its practical guidance.

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