the tragedy of an attachment is that if its object is not attained it causes unhappiness. But if it is attained, it does not cause happiness โ it merely causes a flash of pleasure followed by weariness, and it is always accompanied, of course, by the anxiety that you may lose the object of your attachment.
Anthony de MelloThose who make no mistakes are making the biggest mistakes of all - they are attempting nothing new.
Anthony de MelloDo you want a sign that you're asleep? Here it is: you're suffering. Suffering is a sign that you're out of touch with the truth. Suffering is given to you that you might open your eyes to the truth, that you might understand that there's falsehood somewhere, just as physical pain is given to you so you will understand that there is disease or illness somewhere. Suffering occurs when you clash with reality. When your illusions clash with reality, when your falsehoods clash with truth, then you have suffering. Otherwise there is no suffering.
Anthony de MelloWhen you cling, life is destroyed; when you hold on to anything, you cease to live.
Anthony de Mello