A human being is part of the whole called by us “the universe,” a part limited in time and space. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest–a kind of optical illusion of our consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of understanding and compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of Nature in its beauty.

Albert Einstein
The Expanded Quotable Einstein