Wisdom from an Atomic Icon

Albert Einstein (1879-1955) was a very smart human person.  He is known mostly for his physical theories of how the world works. We have  atomic bombs and nuclear power because of Einstein, though neither of these things were part of any intention he had for his work.

Einstein was also known for his wisdom, which often revealed his kind and compassionate nature.  I found the Einstein quote below in Threshold, a book by Thom Hartmann,  who, like Einstein, is a man of great wisdom.

A human being is part of a whole, called by us the 'Universe,' a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest - a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.
                                                                                                     Albert Einstein