I am, I can, I ought, I will.
"'I am, I ought, I can, I will' - ... 'I am' - we have the power of knowing ourselves. 'I ought' - we have within us a moral judge, to whom we feel ourselves subject, and who points out and requires of us our duty. 'I can' - we are conscious of power to do that which we perceive we ought to do. 'I will' - we determine to exercise that power with a volition which is in itself a step in the execution of that which we will." (Vol. 1, page 330)
"I am, I can, I ought, I will." This was the motto she gave us. I am a human being, one of God's children; I can do right by my fellowmen and by myself; I ought so to do and God help me, I will so do. Is this not a great message she has given us?
(from In Memoriam, page 99)
(from In Memoriam, page 99)
"I am, I can, I ought, I will." Miss Mason chose your inspiring motto. You can say,
"I am the greatest thing in God's creation: a human being with a spark of God's divine spirit in my body. Because I belong to the human family I can do the great things that other human beings have done. I have powers of doing, thinking and loving.
"I can use these powers. I can change my thoughts from things that harm me and that worry me to the beautiful things I have learnt in my School: I can know the ways of activity, I can think kindly thoughts of God's creatures in the past and in the present, in this and other countries, of people who do not think as I do in religion and politics.
I ought to do these things: I owe it to my God, my parents and my School.
I will forget myself, and live up to the ideals of my School.
God is on the side of those who will, and with His help we will all go on working as Miss Mason hoped we would.
(from In Memoriam, page 114)
"I am the greatest thing in God's creation: a human being with a spark of God's divine spirit in my body. Because I belong to the human family I can do the great things that other human beings have done. I have powers of doing, thinking and loving.
"I can use these powers. I can change my thoughts from things that harm me and that worry me to the beautiful things I have learnt in my School: I can know the ways of activity, I can think kindly thoughts of God's creatures in the past and in the present, in this and other countries, of people who do not think as I do in religion and politics.
I ought to do these things: I owe it to my God, my parents and my School.
I will forget myself, and live up to the ideals of my School.
God is on the side of those who will, and with His help we will all go on working as Miss Mason hoped we would.
(from In Memoriam, page 114)