Meditations, Book 11, Section 7

Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

A branch cut off from the tree it was connected to must be cut off from the whole tree. So a person who separates from another person separates from all of society. A branch is cut off by someone else. But when a person hates and turns away, he cuts himself off from his neighbor. He doesn't realize that he also cuts himself off from the whole community at the same time. But here is God's gift and mercy — the one who made this society. Once we are cut off, we can grow back together and become part of the whole again. But if this happens often, the misery is this: the further someone goes in this division, the harder it is to reunite and restore him again. And gardeners will tell you that a branch that was once cut off and then grafted back in is not like one that grew together from the start and stayed connected to the body.

Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

A branch cut off from the continuity of that which was next unto it, must needs be cut off from the whole tree: so a man that is divided from another man, is divided from the whole society. A branch is cut off by another, but he that hates and is averse, cuts himself off from his neighbour, and knows not that at the same time he divides himself from the whole body, or corporation. But herein is the gift and mercy of God, the Author of this society, in that, once cut off we may grow together and become part of the whole again. But if this happen often the misery is that the further a man is run in this division, the harder he is to be reunited and restored again: and however the branch which, once cut of afterwards was graffed in, gardeners can tell you is not like that which sprouted together at first, and still continued in the unity of the body.