“The passion of love is essentially selfish, while motherhood widens the circle of our feelings.”

“Our true passions are selfish.”

Stendhal book The Red and the Black

“Life is a full circle, widening until it joins the circle motions of the infinite.”

Anaïs Nin (1903–1977) writer of novels, short stories, and erotica

“The selfish spirit of commerce knows no country, and feels no passion or principle but that of gain.”

Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) 3rd President of the United States of America

“Our task must be to free ourselves… by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and it's beauty.”

Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born physicist and founder of the theory of relativity

“There seemed to be three choices: to give up trying to love anyone, to stop being selfish, or to learn to love a person while continuing to be selfish.”

Lydia Davis (1947) American writer

“I live my life in widening circles that reach out across the world.”

Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926) Austrian poet and writer

“I understood three manners of beholding of Motherhood in God: the first is grounded in our Nature’s making; the second is taking of our nature, — and there beginneth the Motherhood of Grace; the third is Motherhood of working, — and therein is a forthspreading by the same Grace, of length and breadth and height and of deepness without end. And all is one Love.”

Julian of Norwich (1342–1416) English theologian and anchoress

“The love of awakened motherhood is a love and compassion felt not only towards one’s own children, but towards all people, animals and plants, rocks and rivers—a love extended to all of nature, to all beings. Indeed, to a woman in whom the state of true motherhood has awakened, all creatures are her children. This love, this motherhood, is Divine Love—and that is God.”

Mata Amritanandamayi (1953) Hindu spiritual leader and guru

“Sex is excitement, seeks satisfaction and soon loses interest - selfishness. Making love is passionate, fulfilling and does not look for an end - selflessness.”

Barry Long (1926–2003) Australian spiritual teacher and writer