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Conversations and Exhortations of Father Zossima 229perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, youwill begin to comprehend it better every day. And you will comeat last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love. Lovethe animals – God has given them the rudiments of thought andjoy untroubled. Do not trouble them – don’t harass them, don’tdeprive them of their happiness, don’t work against God’s intent.Man, do not pride yourself on superiority to the animals; theyare without sin, while you with your greatness defile the earth byyour appearance on it and leave the traces of your foulness afteryou – alas, it is true of almost every one of us! Love children especially,for they too are sinless like the angels; they live to softenand purify our hearts and, as it were, to guide us. Woe to him whooffends a child! Father Anfim taught me to love children. The kind,silent man used often on our wanderings to spend the farthingsgiven us on sweets and cakes for the children. He could not pass bya child without emotion; that was the nature of the man.At some thoughts one stands perplexed, especially at the sightof men’s sin, and asks oneself whether one should use force or loveand humility. Always decide to use humble love. If you resolve onthat once and for all, you may subdue the whole world. Lovinghumility is marvelously strong, the strongest of all things, andthere is nothing else like it.Every day and every hour, every minute, walk round yourselfand watch yourself, and see that your image is a seemly one. Youpass by a little child, you pass by with ugly and spiteful words,with wrathful heart; you may not have noticed the child, but hehas seen you, and your image, revolting and godless, may remainin his defenseless heart. You don’t know it, but you may havesown an evil seed in him and it may grow, all because you werenot careful before the child, because you did not foster in yourselfa careful, actively benevolent love. Brothers, love is a teacher;