These words of Sophie Scholl ring as true today, as the day she wrote them. No doubt our circumstances are not as dire; or deadly, but we do live in difficult times requiring real effort to succeed.
Who is Sophie Scholl?
Sophie was a member of the Nazi youth resistance movement called the White Rose in the early 1940s. She was caught distributing anti-war leaflets, tried, and executed . . .
These are her words, and they’re great words:
“The real damage is done by those millions who want to ’survive. The honest men who just want to be left in peace. Those who don’t want their little lives disturbed by anything bigger than themselves. Those with no sides and no causes. Those who won’t take measure of their own strength, for fear of antagonizing their own weakness. Those who don’t like to make waves or enemies. Those for whom freedom, honour, truth, and principles are only literature. Those who live small, mate small, die small.
It’s the reductionist approach to life: if you keep it small, you’ll keep it under control. If you don’t make any noise, the bogeyman won’t find you. But it’s all an illusion, because they die too, those people who roll up their spirits into tiny little balls so as to be safe. Safe?! From what?
Life is always on the edge of death; narrow streets lead to the same place as wide avenues, and a little candle burns itself out just like a flaming torch does.
I choose my own way to burn.”
I found this quote here.
The Whispering Crane Institute 
“Life is always on the edge of death…”
Definitely my favorite quote from that piece.
Thank you for posting this.
A great line from the post, he has followed up with a few more stories about his father. I would say; introspection follows death.
Appreciate the comment and feedback