If thou can do nothing but think good, or wish good to humanity, think it, wish it, for those thoughts of thine and those wishes will be not unavailing. Thoughts live more assuredly than the brain that bears them. Nothing, it is true, can die; but the brain will change one day to aught else; but thoughts will never change, for they belong to the region of the First and the Last whence all things come and to which they move. To that region the material one day shall revert; but the immaterial is already there.
Yet not only do thoughts live, but they work to some end by laws mighty and unknown.

Say not therefore that prayers are useless, for thou dost not understand the laws which bind the spirit of man. Cry, again do I say it, if thou can do no good to the unhappy, think good towards them, wish good for them, pray that good may come to them; in some way, known to thee or unknown, will those thoughts, wishes, prayers have effect.

Fernando Pessoa, in 'Manuscript'

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