"Man, like the generous vine, supported lives; The strength he gains is from the embrace he gives." Alexander Pope "An Essay on Man" "Embrace" here means 2 things - the vine embraces the fruit that grows upon it (that's a great metaphor for people gaining strength from giving practical help to others); and the vine holds tight to some support, a stake or a rockface or a tree. In this second sense, "Embrace" means accepting support from others. It is talking about man being strong by giving help and taking help at the same time; by inspiring faith in others and by having faith in others. When our ambition is put in service of helping others, when our insights is put in service of the spark of precious humanity in every man and woman we meet, then we all grow stronger from the embrace we give and our strength propels us upward.