"The line of life is a ragged diagonal between duty and desire"

This quote by William R. Alger talks to the complexity of life and the difficulty of stabilizing our responsibilities and our desires. It suggests that life is a struggle between our sense of duty and our own individual desires. We often feel drawn in two directions, and it can be challenging to find a balance in between the two. The expression "rough diagonal" suggests that the line in between task and desire is not a straight one, but rather a jagged, unpredictable course. It recommends that life is unpredictable which we must be prepared to make challenging decisions in order to discover a balance between our responsibilities and our own individual desires. Ultimately, this quote motivates us to be conscious of our choices and to strive for a balance in between our inner voice and our own individual desires.