Quote by Saint John of the Cross
The soul that is attached to anything however much good there may be in it, will not arrive at the liberty of divine union. For whether it be a strong wire rope or a slender and delicate thread that holds the bird, it matters not, if it really holds it fast; for, until the cord be broken the bird cannot fly.
Summary
This quote expresses the idea that attachment to worldly things, no matter how good they may be, prevents one from experiencing true spiritual freedom and union with the divine. Whether the attachment is strong or weak, it still restrains and inhibits like a rope holding a bird. Only by breaking free from these attachments can one truly soar and find liberation.