Hell. Ok well here's the first 8 installments of a series I've been posting on my other blog. I get a lot of readers there so you'll have to forgive the pleading and begging for response. It's been really well recieved by my readers there so I figured people here might get a kick out of it. It's something I spent a lot of time thinking about beforehand so I hope you enjoy it. WARNING!!! This is HUGE
The Warrior Dialogues, Preface
Current mood: restless
Category: Religion and Philosophy
And so my dear readers, we begin again. I have written a great many people, rather randomly over the past few days, in order to bring a sense of order to my next series of blogs, or as I like to think of them, dialogues. I asked a simple question of people so that I could determine what of the 7 traits would come first, and subsequently, those that would follow and in what order. For those of you that responded, I cannot thank you enough. For those of you that have yet to It's ok. I don't mind. And so we begin..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
I am certain that many of you are eagerly awaiting the series, which we will refer to as the Warrior Dialogues, but I would like to write tonight, a preface. You might wonder why after all of this, I have decided to do so, and my answer would be quite simple. Tonight, I watched the new movie 300, with my younger brother. If you don't know about the movie, I suggest that you might like to know about it. If you are eager to see it, I can only say that I was duly impressed, and awed by the realism for the majority of the movie. I suppose that I will have to start at the beginning, since it normally makes a wonderful place to start, and so without further delay, I begin, the Warrior Dialogues.
Tonight, as I watched the movie which outlines, in a rather dramatic format, the battle of the 300 Spartan warriors that held the pass against the entire Persian army of Xerxes, I was taken back to a time far past, in which you literally had to fight for every step of life that you took. I was swept to a time where a warrior didn't always fight for money, or for fame, or glory, but instead, because it was necessary. It was necessary to protect your home, your family, your life, your very freedom. Freedom even now is a precious commodity, but in times so long past, it was beyond the priceless and in the realm of unattainable for many.
How does all of this relate to the ideals we will discuss over the course of the next week or so? To me, a warrior isn't simply a person that goes around beating people and killing people. A warrior is someone that fights for what is needed. A warrior is an individual that steps forth and does what is needed, when it is needed. A warrior is someone that lives by those seven words, and though none of us are perfect, they at least try to embody them to their best ability. A warrior lies in each of us. Who among you can say they have not tried at least in their hearts, to follow these ideals? I doubt much that there is a single one of you that cannot say they try to live at least one of those.
In the film, the words honor, and duty, and loyalty were mentioned. Two of these are among the seven. Duty is in itself, a companion to all of them though really, if you think about it. Needless to say, it is these concepts that drive the Warrior to exist in our day and age. It is the sense of honor, the commitment to duty, and the loyalty to your family, friends, society, and perhaps country, that bring the Warrior out in all of us. We find the strength to do what is right. No, that's not TURTLE power. It's the inner strength that so many people deny that they have. It's the Warrior within.
I suppose I've been digressing, but if you read much of my work you know I tend to go off on tangents. Back to the movie I suppose. It is, frankly not something for children. I will say that flat out. Parents, unless you want your kids taking arms against you in a narrow hallway, DO NOT TAKE YOUR KIDS TO THIS MOVIE. The tactics outlined were quite honestly, brilliant. They were sound, and tested methods of warfare that worked for hundreds, and yes even thousands of years. The phalanx, the shield wall, using the size of your battlefield to limit your opponents. All in all a brilliant and well done movie, though I'm sure any historian could rip it apart. Not important to our discussion though
I suppose the reason that I brought this movie up at all, is that in a great many ways, it moved me. It once again, like so many other movies, filled me with the thrill of heroism, and the feeling that you get when you do something right, even though you weren't asked to do it. It re-awakened in me, that little voice that says to stand up and fight, to do what is right regardless of the personal cost, because there are other people out there that count on my actions on a daily basis. To a great many people, 300 serves as a violent flick to tell your buddies about or to be amazed at in respect to how gory movies are getting these days. To me, it was a stark and realistic reminder of the sacrifices that have been made in the name of doing what is right.
At this point, I want to make a note that yes, the United States of America does in fact, have thousands of troops deployed over in the Middle East. I ask that you not make a distinction between what they do there, and what the Spartans did in their time simply because of circumstance. It is true, that the movie portrayed the 300 men that held the pass as a group of hand picked professional soldiers, that would have done anything to live and die in the glory of battle. It is also true that movies tend to stretch truth a bit, and history changes over thousands of years. Our soldiers overseas are doing what they are, because they were ordered to go overseas. None of them was forced to join the military, though I have heard a great many of our returned soldiers say they didn't have a choice but to join. In their own way, each of these men and women volunteered for the service that they now fulfill.
They are not Spartans, they are our people, here and now. We may not like what they are doing, we may not even know what they are going through I know for a fact that a great many of them, very young, are coming home changed, because they never expected to have to take a life. Whether we like what they do or not, has no bearing on what I ask of you now. Respect them for what they do. It is not something any of us could do lightly, I suspect. Each of them is an individual, just like you. They have hopes, dreams, fears, loves, and hates, just like all of us. They are in fact, us.
And so my dear readers, I will conclude this preface to the Warrior Dialogues. It is late, and I am frankly exhausted. I hope that all of you enjoy what is to come, and that you all, time permitting, PLEASE write back. Give me feedback. It is a never ending battle to try and write things that will strike into your hearts and minds, and without your feedback, I do not know if any of my questions or messages are really getting through to you. As you read what is to come, please take a moment to consider how your lives reflect the values we will discuss. Take the time to think about how you are in fact, a Hero, and a Warrior. Until again my dear readers, goodnight.
The Warrior Dialogues, Honesty
Current mood: satisfied
Category: Religion and Philosophy
Good evening my dear readers, once again. As promised, I am setting finger to key once again, and continuing the discussion as planned. The topic for tonight's thoughts is Honesty. I think it an appropriate choice, and apparently the majority of you do as well, since from over 200 people asked, Honesty was the top choice. What exactly is Honesty? Why is it so highly prized by us all? Why does it fit in the group of words we are all thinking about together? We will delve into these questions, and more, and hopefully come up with not just answers, but also more questions to ponder. For those of you joining us tonight for the first time, please read the previous blog, and as many others prior to this as you like. And for you all, our story continues.
One supposes that the most proper way to begin a discussion on Honesty, would be to define it. Let us turn to my favorite site for definitions, www.dictionary.com and read what we find there. Three definitions apply to tonight's discussion, and I will list them all so that you may in fact see what I see. 1. the quality or fact of being honest; uprightness and fairness. 2. Truthfulness, sincerity, or frankness. 3. freedom from deceit or fraud. You see as I do, that not only are they all similar, but in fact, that in the second definition, you find the word sincerity, another one of our future topics. Finally, we will also add to our beginning, the etymology also referred from the site. c.1330, from O.Fr. honest, from L. honestatem (nom. honestas) "honor, honesty," from honestus (see honest). In ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Eng., the word originally had more to do with honor than honest. Please dear readers, note that the root of Honesty, lies in Honor, yet another of our discussion topics. Certainly we can see the common thread developing even this early...:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
And now of course for the metaphorical meat and potatoes of our discussion. What does Honesty mean to us, and why do we prize and value it so highly? To begin with, I think it highly likely that many of the votes for Honesty came from people in my own age group. We are young, and we are beginning to understand the value of frankness and straightforwardness. We have grown up in a time where lies not only run rampant, but we are shown left and right, that they are there. Scandals abound not only in government but also in sports, entertainment, and even in literature. People that we look up to as role models are shown to be frauds. It is no wonder that we admire and value the truth so much, but is truth all that is required of Honesty?
Try to think back to the last time you felt dishonest. Was it during a lie? Perhaps it was during an omission of the truth even? What defines the limits of Honesty? For myself, I find that I can tell the full truth. I can tell varying amounts of the truth, depending on the circumstances. I can in fact, even tell a very small amount of the truth and feel quite comfortable. I simply find it abhorrent to lie. A flat out lie makes my stomach turn. It's rather amusing though to see how far I can actually stretch the truth before I find myself in a position where I don't feel right. I can answer questions with the answers to other questions sometimes, if the question is worded incorrectly even. It never ceases to amaze me how the brain works.
I once read something, and for the life of me I cannot remember the author, but I want to say it was Ashleigh Brilliant. It said basically, that if you say nothing when you have something to say, then you are really lying. I really do believe that. When I feel it is necessary, or important not to withhold the truth, I spill it. Again, the degree of spilling is based around the nature of the situation, but I simply cannot hide the truth when it is apparent to me that it need be out in the open. Do any of you have this type of feeling ever? I often wonder if anyone else believes this idea, even lives it, but perhaps never put it into words themselves. I certainly had to read it from another before it really occurred to me that it was true.
Back to the matter at hand then I suppose. Why is Honesty something so highly prized? It's worth more than gold. Honesty leads to trust. Trust often leads to Loyalty. Honesty and Honor, Honesty and Sincerity They feed from one another. Honesty breeds the bulk of the other qualities we are to discuss over the course of these dialogues. I cannot say that Honesty is the root of them all, because I really feel that there isn't a true root in any one of them, simply the seeds to build the others in each of them. Honesty is a treasure because in our day and age, it is seen as a rare quality. Honesty is important because it allows us to work together without hampering of mistrust. It allows us to work together without fear that we will be misled and misdirected, or that someone is intentionally sabotaging the work we are doing.
Let's take another angle. This is something my dear readers, that I have attempted to talk about before, but never at great length, and I don't believe with much success either. Think about the differentiation between what we see as right, and wrong. For the majority of us, the majority of the time, we see it as right to be honest. We find it is proper to tell the truth, yet many find that they tell a fabrication even when the truth is staring them in the face. This doesn't negate the possibility that the reason we don't tell the truth, or the reason we don't tell the whole truth might be because we are worried that telling the truth is the wrong thing to do. Are there times when it is important not to be completely honest, or not to tell the whole truth, in order to protect a person, or someone's feelings, perhaps even to protect a great many? A question that we may ponder more when we discuss Compassion I believe.
My dear readers, the hour is getting late, and it is nearly time to close tonight's discussion, but I have one more bit to ponder for you. These dialogues are entitled the Warrior Dialogues for a reason, and it is time to include that bit, into tonight's talk. How does the quality of Honesty apply to being a 'Warrior' so to speak. To me, it is the link of trust. During the movie 300, it was mentioned that the warriors fight as a single unit, each man guarding the one next to him with his shield. Honesty builds trust, and honor. Let us not forget that what we take to others, we have to start with ourselves.
Honesty begins within. If you cannot be honest with yourself, how can you expect others to trust you? I find in our day and age, that people lie to themselves constantly. A person will wake up in the morning and go through the motions of the day saying they're going to be just fine as soon as the day is over, yet they know they are not fine, and they don't do anything to change it. A person will hold on to a relationship they know will not work, because they keep telling themselves that they can make it better, when they know they cannot, and really they find they don't want to, if they search deeply enough within. Honesty starts within. Even Shakespeare knew that half a millennium ago. Polonius's advice to his son Laertes before his departure was long, and full of wisdom, but his final words struck true, and still do to this day 'Above all this, to thine own self be true.'
With that remark my dear readers, I leave you for the night. In your own time, ponder how true you are to yourselves, and to those around you. Tell me what your feelings and thoughts are on Honesty, and what it means to you. Is it a foundation? The mortar? Is it merely another block in a building that you have worked your life to put together? Tonight's discussion comes to a close, and when next we meet, I will begin our talk about Compassion, the second most chosen of our topics for the Dialogues. Until then my dear readers, I wish you goodnight.
The Warrior Dialogues, Compassion
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Religion and Philosophy
It is again, my dear readers, time to take keyboard in hand, and join you all in these discussions. Tonight, we are graced with a guest; my friend Scott has joined me in my den tonight to help give insights into the second of our topics, Compassion. Societies have been formed about it, religions have been built and toppled around it. The word itself is often used, but so few people actually understand what it is exactly, and why it is vital to our society that we maintain a sense of it. Compassion, a trait, a way of life, and of course, a part of the Warrior's spirit.
Throughout tonight's discussion, I will have the pleasure of injecting remarks from our guest tonight, as well as his insights in relations to my own. As with Honesty, we should begin with an understanding of what exactly Compassion is. We turn again to www.dictionary.com for the following definitions 1. A feeling of deep sympathy and sorry for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. 2. A deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering. 3. The humane quality of understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do something about it.
Both Scott and myself agree that of the listed definitions, the last one fits the purpose of our discussion tonight, and also is the most appropriate use for understanding Compassion itself. We should start by pointing out that it is humane to have Compassion for another. It is to understand the suffering of others that is the basis of Compassion, and it is in the wanting to do something about their suffering that makes us human. I often find myself questioning the humanity of a person that has no compassion, or at least shows none.
Scott points out that he believes that every human being has the capacity to express compassion for another, but often we allow our own desires or fears to set our capacity aside. I have to agree with this statement, though I tend to be much more extreme in my wording about such things. I think he summed the idea up pretty well though. To me, it is in our acceptance of our ability to show Compassion that brings us closer to a deeper understanding of ourselves. Scott also interjects by expressing that people often look at the world and say that they are only one person, and even though there is a lot of suffering in the world, only one person probably can't change it, and so they do nothing.
At this point, we're going to shift gears a bit and talk about why it is important to us, as individuals and as a society. To start with, I would like to say that it is the compassion in our natures that allows us empathy, and through this, trust. Without the ability to understand the suffering of others, we remain closed into our own worlds of pain, and thus tend to push all else out. When we step outside of our shells, we find that there is suffering all around, and that perhaps, by simply reaching out a helping hand to someone that needs you, you find that you need them every bit as much, and instead of two individuals floundering to stay afloat in the world, you find that you are more than the sum of your parts simply by coming together in a common purpose. Synergy, if you will comes from the addition of two things that become greater than just two pieces.
Scott brings up the point that our society focuses so much on the individual, and individual achievement, that we often neglect the fact that we are For lack of better wording, I have to say that we are meant to be together. We are all human, we are all part of a greater whole, whether from a religious standpoint or from a purely scientific one. We functioned in ancient times as a group. In such a group, we depended on each other for our very survival, because the individual couldn't survive on their own. We find that even in our current society, this is true in many ways. Yes, there will always be the hermitic exceptions, but most people are never truly happy, (Happiness Another discussion for another night I fear) unless we are interacting with other people.
This brings us to the 'why' of Compassion. Why is it that when your neighbor loses his wife, you feel a need to comfort him, to support him, and to stand with him? Why is it that when a child is lost, the whole community gets together to find them? Why is it, that when one feels pain, so does another? These questions I fear are much deeper than we can answer tonight, but they are questions to pose for certain. Is there a little voice inside of you that secretly tells you when you should feel hurt for another? Is there a radio beacon that transmits from one mind to another saying 'I need you now'?
Scott poses that he feels God is within each and every human being, and as such, when another suffers, he is part of a community that shares this God, and that you simply cannot turn away from another soul that is part of this communion. By turning away from the suffering of another, you are turning away from your relationship not just with the other person, but from your relationship between you, the person, and God as well. Keep in mind please, that this is not simply to keep from offending God, but more to strengthen the relationships between the individuals and with God as well.
Once again, it is time for us to bring this back to the center, and tie this to the way of the Warrior. Through Compassion, we become empathetic to our fellows, and through our empathy, we join with them in a closer communion. Through Compassion, we build understanding, and often through understanding, we build trust. Without trust, we have nothing to stand upon but our words, and we all know that words are a dime a dozen. It is the trait of Compassion, that allows the Warrior to understand their 'foe' and through true understanding, we find instead of defeating the opposition, we can instead help them to see our version of the story. Much can be said for the power of diplomacy as opposed to the Iron Fist.
People I suppose, often think of Compassion as a weakness, but I find that instead, it is a strength. There are those that would say mercy is a show of weakness, or inability to follow through with destruction. There are those that say Compassion is just another word for pity, and that pity is a destructive emotion. I disagree with both kinds of people. Mercy takes a lot of inner strength, and Compassion is not pity. Compassion is taking upon your self, the suffering of others; putting your self in their shoes, so to speak. Often it is said that the idealist will tout Compassion as a way to strengthen society. Perhaps more than this, Compassion is our way to reconnect the individual to society. It is through the connections we form that we become stronger, more than just scattered individuals, but instead, a people, a strength, a force even. It is through our Compassion that we grow in spirit, and ultimately, find ourselves.
Once again, my dear readers, the hour grows late, and I find myself in need of rest. My friend Scott and I have many discussions to share as well, and time is always thin. I ask you once again, please, read, think, and reply. Give me YOUR thoughts. I have now given you two of the seven, and not a single response back. I watch the numbers on the read counter, and they stagger me. Since Sunday, over 80 reads. Your dedication amazes me, and your interest stirs my soul. I give you my words, my thoughts, and yes tonight, Scott has given you his as well. Please, give us your own. Share with us, a part of yourselves, as we share with you. I eagerly await your response, and will return soon for the third installment of our Dialogues As you are my Loyal friends and readers, our next Dialogue will be about Loyalty. Until then, we bid you all a good night.
The Warrior Dialogues, Loyalty.
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Religion and Philosophy
My dear readers I apologize for the delay of this, the third installment of our dialogues. First postponed by a much needed trip to Anchorage, then by sheer exhaustion, I firmly intend to give you Loyalty tonight. What an amusing statement. I intend to give you loyalty tonight. Ah well. With that, I invite you all to make yourselves comfortable. Grab something to drink, put your thinking cap on, sit back and relax while you read. Thank you for joining us yet again. The topic for the third of the Warrior Dialogues is Loyalty, chosen as third place by random poll. As with the other discussions, tonight we turn to www.dictionary.com for our definition of Loyalty. I was surprised that I found more in the synonyms section than in the actual definitions part, and so that is what I will put here. 2. fealty, devotion, constancy. Loyalty, allegiance, fidelity all imply a sense of duty or of devoted attachment to something or someone. Loyalty connotes sentiment and the feeling of devotion that one holds for one's country, creed, family, friends, etc. And for definitions 1. The state or quality of being loyal; faithfulness to commitments or obligations. 2. An example or instance of faithfulness, adherence, or the like. Quite a lot of the same thing over and over, isn't it? I suppose to put it bluntly, Loyalty is devotion, allegiance, fidelity; all of these things that we use to say sticking with something or someone. To me, Loyalty is a key thing not only in my life, but in my personal relationships. I have always prided myself on being faithful, loyal, unwavering even in just my support. Loyalty applies to our connections to friends, family, governments, countries, ethnic origins, groups we join or form, and a great many other parts of our interactions with others. It's quite amazing how one simple word can have so many profound interactions within our lives, isn't it? Honestly I have to say it's rather hard to pose questions about Loyalty for me. I suppose we could start with little questions. Why do we feel it? What are exactly, the ties that bind? People use phrases like 'Blood is thicker than water' and 'Loyal to a fault'. If you are truly devoted to something, or even someone, is it really possible to be too loyal to them? Perhaps if you consider that oftentimes the loyalty is coupled with other feelings and emotions that tend to cloud judgment, I can see where that might be the case. Is blood really thicker than water? Well literally yes, but oftentimes we find that loyalties are strained, and that bonds we thought were strong are really quite fragile. What is it that makes Loyalty so key then, to our interactions with people? Well to my understanding, without Loyalty, people are constantly unsure where someone's intentions lie. It's uncertain whether they will stand with you, or if they'll turn on you at any time. Then again, with life, things like that hardly ever seem certain, but it's the idea that counts. Loyalty is more mortar between people. Loyalty stems from trust. When you trust those you work with, or those you are friends with, or even those you love, the bonds cannot help but grow, as long as the trust is not misplaced that is. And if it is, what then? How do we determine when Loyalty has been breached? Does each person have their own code of honor to follow, or is there a universal standard which sets what lines shouldn't be crossed when testing your Loyalty? What exactly are the things that inspire Loyalty in people? I truly can only speak for myself in this regard as I haven't asked anyone else what their thoughts on the matter are. For me, affection tends to inspire it, as does trust. When people are honest with me, I tend to be more loyal with them. A common bond, such as my fire department often creates a sense of Loyalty bordering on that of familial devotion. One can be loyal to their people, or their country, as our soldiers are, or as (in theory), politicians are supposed to be. Loyalty to a team seems to be inspired by working together closely. I suppose all in all, most Loyalty in most cases is born of trust. What does it take to make trust? I think that's a topic for an entire blog all on its own, wouldn't you agree? Though it seems I am sure, quite evident, this is the time where we will tie the quality of Loyalty in to the path of the Warrior. As we have discussed, the Warrior stands for what they believe in. Loyalty to one's cause, one's people, one's way of life, family, whatever need be stood for. The Warrior fights regardless of the cost to themselves often, and it takes tremendous Loyalty to stand and fight when others run, or when you are afraid that the things you are fighting for are not being as closely defended as the spot where you stand at this very moment. Without Loyalty to hold them together, a band of Warriors would not have any cohesive strength, and would falter, becoming just a bunch of pieces instead of a powerful whole. Loyalty throughout time has been a source of stories, contention, and legend. The betrayal of Loyalty as well, has become the stuff that history is made from. When Judas was said to have betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver to the Romans, or even when Julius Caesar was betrayed by his best friend, Brutus. Loyalty and the testing of it abounds in our literature as well. In the epic Lord of The Rings, the final segment is entitled 'The Return of the King', and therein, Aragorn calls upon the dead to make good on their promise which they forsook so many years before. To call up on loyalty, or a pact made in good faith is often in our stories. When kings and lords would call upon their allies because their Loyalties lay together, it was a great undertaking. It's quite obvious that without Loyalty, a great many interpersonal and other types of relationships would simply fail. Nations would crumble, and their allies would be nothing more than neighbors or acquaintances. What does Loyalty mean to you? Is it something you strive to achieve? To inspire in others in regards to an organization, or even to yourself? Do you have children which you try to instill a sense of Loyalty into? What inspires you to be loyal to someone, or to a group? Do you feel that you are a loyal citizen? Do you feel that you are loyal to your family, or to your friends? Another big question for you would be to wonder if you keep your promises, because promises indicate Loyalty. So many things to think about for all of you. Please, I beg again of you to leave comments, post ideas and thoughts. To date, we have had over 300 views since the initial posting of the Preface. Over 300, and look how few comments. This is important to me, as these words are the words I live my life by, my readers. These words are not just words to me. They are not just ideas to me. These words are my way of life. When I breathe in, I take them into myself. When I exhale, I give them to you all. Please, as you take my words, I implore you to give me your own. Share with me, and with everyone, your thoughts. I am exhausted and it is early my dear readers, so I will rest for now, but I will return in a more timely manner for our next discussion, when we will open up to the topic of Honor, and all that it entails. Until then my dear readers, I bid you all a good night.
The Warrior Dialogues: Honor
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Religion and Philosophy
My dear readers, once again my apologies for my absence. If it's not one thing, it is bound to be another. I have spent many a night pondering our topic of choice today, and truly I cannot say I am any closer to an answer today than I have been any other day. What is Honor? While you read this online, the original writing was done with pen and paper; lines of ink becoming fine intent and discourse. For this topic I will endeavor to present an organized train of thoughts, but I promise nothing in such regard. And so without further delay, Honor.
As a child, I thought Honor to be much the same as honesty, for was it not our Honor that we as children swore by? Ah, but what did we know? As I grew to a youth, my perceptions changed and I began to understand how Honor also encompassed duty, and how it required perserverence and a moral code of sorts. When I first felt I had begun my path to manhood, it was such a course I strove to follow. Years of reading, study, watching, and just pondering, passed. I learned much, but so little in comparison to what I could have.
It was not until college that I really began to understand what I was trying to do. I was trying to define my own sense of Honor. What did it mean to me? Partly, to put the needs of others above my own desires. Partly it meant that I needed to stand and do what I was called upon for, even if others faltered along the way. I felt that I had a need to stand for what I believed in, and to fight for those that were wronged however I could. I realized eventually that for me to live in a way that I felt was honorable, I had to live by the other words of our topics. That for me to have Honor meant to fight for justice, to try and be courageous, honest, loyal, compassionate, and sincere. Words to live by, as I call them.
I cannot say I am perfect, but I do strive to live these ideals. Few walk indeed that may say they have never strayed from this path. It's not an easy path, and you find a great amount of pain along the way. At times, it seems a lonely road, and that everyone either looks down on you for merely trying, or worse, that everyone seems to think you feel you are better than they, when in fact you feel you are among the lowest.
For each of us, Honor consists of different levels based on need, society, upbringing, and where we are in our lives. Just because one person's sense of Honor dictates a course of action does not mean given the same or a similar situation, another will do the same thing. Our perceptions are our guides on this path, and we can only see them through the eyes and hearts which we call our own. What defines what actions are honorable? You do, my dear readers. Therin lies the power that we have. We choose our path and through it, define ourselves.
What does Honor mean to you? For some it is a curse, others, a gift. Do you strive to follow your path even when the way is hard, or do you find more often that you do not wish to fight all the time? It is hard beyond belief to take the path that seems at once to be harder to follow, but to me, the rewards outweigh the initial roughness of the path. Was it not the poet Robert Frost, who wrote about the path less traveled?
Once again, I have run dry my rambling river. The sun brightly warming my face calls to me. Think about what Honor means to you. Do you have a code that you live by? Share it, not just with me, but with everyone who will read our dialogues. This gift is something someone may treasure. Perhapse those of you who tread the path already can give some insight or support to those just beginning their journeys. On that note, I will depart. and I will return to you again in due time. Umtil again comes my dear readers...
The Warrior Dialogues: Courage
Current mood: exhausted
Category: Religion and Philosophy
My dear readers... This installment is more than simply late, or tardy. It is downright out of sorts late. I apologize, and so without further introduction, I bring you the next installment of The Warrior Dialogues... Courage.
As with the previous dialogues, I'd like to begin with a definition from Dictionary.com which is as follows... Courage: The quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulties, danger, pain, etc, without fear. Originating first in Latin, as cor (heart or inner strength) then translating into vulgar Latin as coraticum, and Old French as corage, it is safe to say the word isn't the only part of COurage that has evolved over the ages. For hundreds, even thousands of years, we have been given models of Courage, not only in stories and legends such as Beowulf, but also in reality, as in the men and women who gave their lives to save others during the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks.
To most people, the aforementioned definition of Courage is the truest meaning possible, but I would like to put forth a change to that. To me, Courage is not to do all of those things without fear, but despite it instead. We all feel fear in some way, whether we choose to admit it to others or not. It is my contention that the courageous person feels the same fears as we, but understands that their fears must be set aside for the sake of others, or in some cases, the greater good.
I suppose to me, Courage is a lot more than mere bravery. I feel that true Courage transcends our selfishness and enters a realm of something greater. Many people have faced adversity, most if not all of us in fact. We have seen danger, or felt pain, but it is another thing all together when we do it for the sake of someone else, even for a complete stranger. Some say it is great strength of heart. Perhaps this is so, or perhaps those individuals who possess such a measure of courage, carry the heart of a warrior. For those of you new to this concept, pleas understand that my definition of a warrior is not simply a soldier, but specifically someone who fights for their beliefs, and what is right, regardless of or despite the consequences.
Is Courage something we are born with? Is it something we develop over time? Could it be that Courage in its most raw form surfaces only in times of great need? What is it that separates the brave from the courageous? Why do some people seem to ahve it and others couldn't grasp even the concept?
You might as well ask how you can be courageous for all the answers you could get. Perhaps all it takes is a visit to the Wizard of Oz. What is Courage to you? Tell us about a person you see as courageous. Do they exhibit any of the other traits we have been discussing?
How does Courage fit into the Warrior Dialogues? For me, the answer is simple. Courage alone is not enough to fuel the fires necessary to fight for what you believe in. Honesty, compassion, loyalty... They work together to give integrity, and when one possesses the strength of character and moral convictions, it follows that they have a measure of Courage to go with them.
Alas, I believe my inspiration is waning for the evening, and so I will leave it to you, my readers, to your stories of courage, and how they have inspired you to deal with your own lives. I fear I must sound like a broken record, but without your responses, and your thoughts, all of my work here is in vain. Please, remember that when I share with you, I share with ALL of you, and anything you share in return is likewise a gift to the masses. On that note, I bid you all goodnight. Until again comes.
The Warrior Dialogues: Justice
Current mood: aggravated
Category: Religion and Philosophy
I know my friends, that it has been some time since I have posted toward our goal of the Warrior Dialogues, but it seems that tonight my muse has returned, whatever it may be, and that I am once again filled with the strength and energy to carry on. We left off our discussions with only two more to go, Justice, and Sincerity. Tonight Justice is our lady, and we will dance words around her in hopes of filling us all with thoughts and ideas on the topic. As usual, we start with definitions from our favorite site, www.dictionary.com as follow... Justice 1) the quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness, 2) the moral principle determining just conduct, and 3) the administering of deserved punishment or reward. There were many other definitions listed but these in particular fit our discussions most clearly. It comes to us from Latin through the Old French words for righteousness and equity.
My dear readers, it is with great trepidation that I dive into this topic tonight. Justice is such a subjective thing in most cases that it's often hard to discuss it in any form without having a level of controversy. Regardless of this, I intend to delve into this as thoroughly as we have waded through our other topics in this series. I suppose since we've already defined what Justice is in a dictionary, I could say at least what Justice means to me. Quite simply, true Justice is the enactment of what is right, and fair upon the world around us. Whether it is cosmic in nature, and enabled by forces unseen, or whether it is mundane, and enacted by people around us, I think that Justice is that which helps create balance in our world.
Throughout the ages, rules and laws have been applied to us in order to define what is just and unjust. People have fought wars and a great many lives have been lost because of the desire for justice, and also in retaliation for injustices enacted upon people. When individuals form a group and decide upon their morals both personal and societal, generally they form a sense of right and wrong, and thusly, a sense of Justice. Often when we think of Justice, we are reminded of the courts, and of the police, and of course, of punishment, but all of these things are merely avenues by which Justice is enabled and enforced. Justice itself is something that we cannot simply capture as simply as crime and punishment.
How does Justice fit in with the ideas of the Warrior? Well as we have discussed, the Warrior is an individual that fights for what they think is right. Simply put, they live to enact and embody the principle of Justice. The idea that one must always do what is right, regardless of the cost, is often attributed to those that are truly just, and so it falls to the Warrior's code to follow. When we live a path that guides us to Justice, we are often faced with decisions based on the morality of another's actions. It is not up to us though, to decide what circumstances mitigate Justice. That is a decision that is left up to the people as a whole, not to the individual. It is given in this manner because it is not the place of the Warrior to define Justice, or even to decide upon it, but merely to be the enactment of what has been decided is just or right.
We bring this back to the traits found in a hero, and we can plainly see why Justice is so important to the hero's makeup. A hero is said to fight for Justice and for 'what is right'. A hero stands for a cause, and will often defend those that are unable to from persons who intend to take away their basic human rights. It is often the task of the hero to deliver the villan to a Justice system such as the court, the police, or simply the jail. Time and time again though we are faced with the real truth of Justice, that it is not defined by the individual, but by what is best for society, and what society accepts as just, and right. Tonight my readers, after a long absence, I bring you once again words and seeds of thought. I hope as always that they give you something to think about, and to talk about, and perhaps, something to write about in your own time. If you choose to comment, please do so and share with other readers here what your thoughts on Justice are. For me, it is simply part of a way of life, though not much is out there that is less simple. Thank you all for reading, and I look forward to our next discussion. Until again my dear readers.
The Warrior Dialogues: Sincerity
Category: Religion and Philosophy
My dearest readers, I apologize as it has been some time since my last post, but I have been attending to other portions of my life. Despite this, I have spent some time thinking about our seventh installment into the Warrior Dialogues, and am ready to open once again, the floodgates of my thought. This morning, Sincerity is our topic.
As has been our method, we will start with definition from www.dictionary.com as well as the origins of the word. According to our source, Sincerity is defined as "freedom from deceit, hypocrisy, or duplicity; probity in intention or in communicating; earnestness. " Looking back to the origins, the word can be traced back to Latin. Sinceritatem, from sincerus, meaning sound, pure, whole, or perhaps originally "of one growth" meaning not hybrid or unmixed. Simply by those words alone, I believe we can see how easily this concept lies within the realm of our Warrior.
Freedom from deceit. Something that is pure. Purity has been a quality long touted and admired by many. Should not the consummate Warrior possess it as well? But there is more to the word than just being truthful. There is earnestness. To put into what one does, a degree of seriousness in their efforts. I'm sure you'll agree that the Warrior of whom we speak should possess such a quality. A person that truly believes in what they do will always carry that sense of duty with them. Perhaps a sense of honor about what they do even. A person should strive for that depth in their intentions, and in their actions.
In our day to day lives, sincerity plays a role. You can cause someone to respond when you say "Have a nice day", but when you put feeling and Sincerity behind your words, you can brighten their day. We often write a letter closed with the word "Sincerely", to emphasize that what came before is written with seriousness and earnestness. And yet, the word is undervalued as a quality. We find insincerity to be quite a put-off. People who lack the quality are often discounted, and looked down upon. It should be remembered that there is more to Sincerity than just being serious. It involves putting your heart into what you say and do, so that your Sincerity shows not just in your words, but also your deeds.
It would follow that Sincerity would go hand in hand with the other qualities we have discussed, or at least that is my belief. Honor, Justice, Courage, Compassion, Honesty, Loyalty. All of these qualities or traits feed from each other. To be truly honest requires Sincerity in your words. To enact true justice, or to be truly compassionate, is not Sincerity deemed necessary? How can one fight for a cause they believe is true, if they do not have heart in themselves to act in earnest? Just as one will not fight for a cause they do not believe in, it seems unlikely to fight for something you don't take seriously.
If our Warrior possesses these qualities, so then should our Hero. Sincerity in the Hero is as important as in an individual. I suppose my best example at the moment is a firefighter. One of my longest standing friendships is with a firefighter. Ever since he was a child, he wanted to be a fireman. In college, he dedicated himself to the application of the knowledge from his classes to his work. I watched him grow from the 'bandage jockey' to the fully licensed Paramedic, and from a probie to a fully certified Firefighter II. In all of these things he showed ambition, and determination, but there was so much more to it.
My friend loves his job. He loves to help people. Every time he goes on a call, he acts fully well knowing the balance of another person's life is in his hands. There are some I am sure, that do this kind of work because of the pay involved, or because they love the rush, but from experience, most of the people in the service do it because they sincerely want to help people. They stand as our line of offense and defense against the world itself. They protect us with their lives as much as a soldier does. Sincerity in their thoughts and actions is readily obvious.
My readers, it has been some time since I last wrote, but the next installment will be soon. Following this, the last of our seven dialogues, we will pull all of these qualities together to find our Warrior, and see how each of us may live that character in our simplest of actions. It is nearly time to bring all of this together to complete the cycle, and present once again, the Hero. I have some research that I must do before I will be ready to write that last of the series, but no matter... My time is yours my friends. As the sun returns, so shall I. Until again, my dearest readers.
The Warrior Dialogues, Preface
Current mood: restless
Category: Religion and Philosophy
And so my dear readers, we begin again. I have written a great many people, rather randomly over the past few days, in order to bring a sense of order to my next series of blogs, or as I like to think of them, dialogues. I asked a simple question of people so that I could determine what of the 7 traits would come first, and subsequently, those that would follow and in what order. For those of you that responded, I cannot thank you enough. For those of you that have yet to It's ok. I don't mind. And so we begin..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
I am certain that many of you are eagerly awaiting the series, which we will refer to as the Warrior Dialogues, but I would like to write tonight, a preface. You might wonder why after all of this, I have decided to do so, and my answer would be quite simple. Tonight, I watched the new movie 300, with my younger brother. If you don't know about the movie, I suggest that you might like to know about it. If you are eager to see it, I can only say that I was duly impressed, and awed by the realism for the majority of the movie. I suppose that I will have to start at the beginning, since it normally makes a wonderful place to start, and so without further delay, I begin, the Warrior Dialogues.
Tonight, as I watched the movie which outlines, in a rather dramatic format, the battle of the 300 Spartan warriors that held the pass against the entire Persian army of Xerxes, I was taken back to a time far past, in which you literally had to fight for every step of life that you took. I was swept to a time where a warrior didn't always fight for money, or for fame, or glory, but instead, because it was necessary. It was necessary to protect your home, your family, your life, your very freedom. Freedom even now is a precious commodity, but in times so long past, it was beyond the priceless and in the realm of unattainable for many.
How does all of this relate to the ideals we will discuss over the course of the next week or so? To me, a warrior isn't simply a person that goes around beating people and killing people. A warrior is someone that fights for what is needed. A warrior is an individual that steps forth and does what is needed, when it is needed. A warrior is someone that lives by those seven words, and though none of us are perfect, they at least try to embody them to their best ability. A warrior lies in each of us. Who among you can say they have not tried at least in their hearts, to follow these ideals? I doubt much that there is a single one of you that cannot say they try to live at least one of those.
In the film, the words honor, and duty, and loyalty were mentioned. Two of these are among the seven. Duty is in itself, a companion to all of them though really, if you think about it. Needless to say, it is these concepts that drive the Warrior to exist in our day and age. It is the sense of honor, the commitment to duty, and the loyalty to your family, friends, society, and perhaps country, that bring the Warrior out in all of us. We find the strength to do what is right. No, that's not TURTLE power. It's the inner strength that so many people deny that they have. It's the Warrior within.
I suppose I've been digressing, but if you read much of my work you know I tend to go off on tangents. Back to the movie I suppose. It is, frankly not something for children. I will say that flat out. Parents, unless you want your kids taking arms against you in a narrow hallway, DO NOT TAKE YOUR KIDS TO THIS MOVIE. The tactics outlined were quite honestly, brilliant. They were sound, and tested methods of warfare that worked for hundreds, and yes even thousands of years. The phalanx, the shield wall, using the size of your battlefield to limit your opponents. All in all a brilliant and well done movie, though I'm sure any historian could rip it apart. Not important to our discussion though
I suppose the reason that I brought this movie up at all, is that in a great many ways, it moved me. It once again, like so many other movies, filled me with the thrill of heroism, and the feeling that you get when you do something right, even though you weren't asked to do it. It re-awakened in me, that little voice that says to stand up and fight, to do what is right regardless of the personal cost, because there are other people out there that count on my actions on a daily basis. To a great many people, 300 serves as a violent flick to tell your buddies about or to be amazed at in respect to how gory movies are getting these days. To me, it was a stark and realistic reminder of the sacrifices that have been made in the name of doing what is right.
At this point, I want to make a note that yes, the United States of America does in fact, have thousands of troops deployed over in the Middle East. I ask that you not make a distinction between what they do there, and what the Spartans did in their time simply because of circumstance. It is true, that the movie portrayed the 300 men that held the pass as a group of hand picked professional soldiers, that would have done anything to live and die in the glory of battle. It is also true that movies tend to stretch truth a bit, and history changes over thousands of years. Our soldiers overseas are doing what they are, because they were ordered to go overseas. None of them was forced to join the military, though I have heard a great many of our returned soldiers say they didn't have a choice but to join. In their own way, each of these men and women volunteered for the service that they now fulfill.
They are not Spartans, they are our people, here and now. We may not like what they are doing, we may not even know what they are going through I know for a fact that a great many of them, very young, are coming home changed, because they never expected to have to take a life. Whether we like what they do or not, has no bearing on what I ask of you now. Respect them for what they do. It is not something any of us could do lightly, I suspect. Each of them is an individual, just like you. They have hopes, dreams, fears, loves, and hates, just like all of us. They are in fact, us.
And so my dear readers, I will conclude this preface to the Warrior Dialogues. It is late, and I am frankly exhausted. I hope that all of you enjoy what is to come, and that you all, time permitting, PLEASE write back. Give me feedback. It is a never ending battle to try and write things that will strike into your hearts and minds, and without your feedback, I do not know if any of my questions or messages are really getting through to you. As you read what is to come, please take a moment to consider how your lives reflect the values we will discuss. Take the time to think about how you are in fact, a Hero, and a Warrior. Until again my dear readers, goodnight.
The Warrior Dialogues, Honesty
Current mood: satisfied
Category: Religion and Philosophy
Good evening my dear readers, once again. As promised, I am setting finger to key once again, and continuing the discussion as planned. The topic for tonight's thoughts is Honesty. I think it an appropriate choice, and apparently the majority of you do as well, since from over 200 people asked, Honesty was the top choice. What exactly is Honesty? Why is it so highly prized by us all? Why does it fit in the group of words we are all thinking about together? We will delve into these questions, and more, and hopefully come up with not just answers, but also more questions to ponder. For those of you joining us tonight for the first time, please read the previous blog, and as many others prior to this as you like. And for you all, our story continues.
One supposes that the most proper way to begin a discussion on Honesty, would be to define it. Let us turn to my favorite site for definitions, www.dictionary.com and read what we find there. Three definitions apply to tonight's discussion, and I will list them all so that you may in fact see what I see. 1. the quality or fact of being honest; uprightness and fairness. 2. Truthfulness, sincerity, or frankness. 3. freedom from deceit or fraud. You see as I do, that not only are they all similar, but in fact, that in the second definition, you find the word sincerity, another one of our future topics. Finally, we will also add to our beginning, the etymology also referred from the site. c.1330, from O.Fr. honest, from L. honestatem (nom. honestas) "honor, honesty," from honestus (see honest). In ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Eng., the word originally had more to do with honor than honest. Please dear readers, note that the root of Honesty, lies in Honor, yet another of our discussion topics. Certainly we can see the common thread developing even this early...:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
And now of course for the metaphorical meat and potatoes of our discussion. What does Honesty mean to us, and why do we prize and value it so highly? To begin with, I think it highly likely that many of the votes for Honesty came from people in my own age group. We are young, and we are beginning to understand the value of frankness and straightforwardness. We have grown up in a time where lies not only run rampant, but we are shown left and right, that they are there. Scandals abound not only in government but also in sports, entertainment, and even in literature. People that we look up to as role models are shown to be frauds. It is no wonder that we admire and value the truth so much, but is truth all that is required of Honesty?
Try to think back to the last time you felt dishonest. Was it during a lie? Perhaps it was during an omission of the truth even? What defines the limits of Honesty? For myself, I find that I can tell the full truth. I can tell varying amounts of the truth, depending on the circumstances. I can in fact, even tell a very small amount of the truth and feel quite comfortable. I simply find it abhorrent to lie. A flat out lie makes my stomach turn. It's rather amusing though to see how far I can actually stretch the truth before I find myself in a position where I don't feel right. I can answer questions with the answers to other questions sometimes, if the question is worded incorrectly even. It never ceases to amaze me how the brain works.
I once read something, and for the life of me I cannot remember the author, but I want to say it was Ashleigh Brilliant. It said basically, that if you say nothing when you have something to say, then you are really lying. I really do believe that. When I feel it is necessary, or important not to withhold the truth, I spill it. Again, the degree of spilling is based around the nature of the situation, but I simply cannot hide the truth when it is apparent to me that it need be out in the open. Do any of you have this type of feeling ever? I often wonder if anyone else believes this idea, even lives it, but perhaps never put it into words themselves. I certainly had to read it from another before it really occurred to me that it was true.
Back to the matter at hand then I suppose. Why is Honesty something so highly prized? It's worth more than gold. Honesty leads to trust. Trust often leads to Loyalty. Honesty and Honor, Honesty and Sincerity They feed from one another. Honesty breeds the bulk of the other qualities we are to discuss over the course of these dialogues. I cannot say that Honesty is the root of them all, because I really feel that there isn't a true root in any one of them, simply the seeds to build the others in each of them. Honesty is a treasure because in our day and age, it is seen as a rare quality. Honesty is important because it allows us to work together without hampering of mistrust. It allows us to work together without fear that we will be misled and misdirected, or that someone is intentionally sabotaging the work we are doing.
Let's take another angle. This is something my dear readers, that I have attempted to talk about before, but never at great length, and I don't believe with much success either. Think about the differentiation between what we see as right, and wrong. For the majority of us, the majority of the time, we see it as right to be honest. We find it is proper to tell the truth, yet many find that they tell a fabrication even when the truth is staring them in the face. This doesn't negate the possibility that the reason we don't tell the truth, or the reason we don't tell the whole truth might be because we are worried that telling the truth is the wrong thing to do. Are there times when it is important not to be completely honest, or not to tell the whole truth, in order to protect a person, or someone's feelings, perhaps even to protect a great many? A question that we may ponder more when we discuss Compassion I believe.
My dear readers, the hour is getting late, and it is nearly time to close tonight's discussion, but I have one more bit to ponder for you. These dialogues are entitled the Warrior Dialogues for a reason, and it is time to include that bit, into tonight's talk. How does the quality of Honesty apply to being a 'Warrior' so to speak. To me, it is the link of trust. During the movie 300, it was mentioned that the warriors fight as a single unit, each man guarding the one next to him with his shield. Honesty builds trust, and honor. Let us not forget that what we take to others, we have to start with ourselves.
Honesty begins within. If you cannot be honest with yourself, how can you expect others to trust you? I find in our day and age, that people lie to themselves constantly. A person will wake up in the morning and go through the motions of the day saying they're going to be just fine as soon as the day is over, yet they know they are not fine, and they don't do anything to change it. A person will hold on to a relationship they know will not work, because they keep telling themselves that they can make it better, when they know they cannot, and really they find they don't want to, if they search deeply enough within. Honesty starts within. Even Shakespeare knew that half a millennium ago. Polonius's advice to his son Laertes before his departure was long, and full of wisdom, but his final words struck true, and still do to this day 'Above all this, to thine own self be true.'
With that remark my dear readers, I leave you for the night. In your own time, ponder how true you are to yourselves, and to those around you. Tell me what your feelings and thoughts are on Honesty, and what it means to you. Is it a foundation? The mortar? Is it merely another block in a building that you have worked your life to put together? Tonight's discussion comes to a close, and when next we meet, I will begin our talk about Compassion, the second most chosen of our topics for the Dialogues. Until then my dear readers, I wish you goodnight.
The Warrior Dialogues, Compassion
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Religion and Philosophy
It is again, my dear readers, time to take keyboard in hand, and join you all in these discussions. Tonight, we are graced with a guest; my friend Scott has joined me in my den tonight to help give insights into the second of our topics, Compassion. Societies have been formed about it, religions have been built and toppled around it. The word itself is often used, but so few people actually understand what it is exactly, and why it is vital to our society that we maintain a sense of it. Compassion, a trait, a way of life, and of course, a part of the Warrior's spirit.
Throughout tonight's discussion, I will have the pleasure of injecting remarks from our guest tonight, as well as his insights in relations to my own. As with Honesty, we should begin with an understanding of what exactly Compassion is. We turn again to www.dictionary.com for the following definitions 1. A feeling of deep sympathy and sorry for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. 2. A deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering. 3. The humane quality of understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do something about it.
Both Scott and myself agree that of the listed definitions, the last one fits the purpose of our discussion tonight, and also is the most appropriate use for understanding Compassion itself. We should start by pointing out that it is humane to have Compassion for another. It is to understand the suffering of others that is the basis of Compassion, and it is in the wanting to do something about their suffering that makes us human. I often find myself questioning the humanity of a person that has no compassion, or at least shows none.
Scott points out that he believes that every human being has the capacity to express compassion for another, but often we allow our own desires or fears to set our capacity aside. I have to agree with this statement, though I tend to be much more extreme in my wording about such things. I think he summed the idea up pretty well though. To me, it is in our acceptance of our ability to show Compassion that brings us closer to a deeper understanding of ourselves. Scott also interjects by expressing that people often look at the world and say that they are only one person, and even though there is a lot of suffering in the world, only one person probably can't change it, and so they do nothing.
At this point, we're going to shift gears a bit and talk about why it is important to us, as individuals and as a society. To start with, I would like to say that it is the compassion in our natures that allows us empathy, and through this, trust. Without the ability to understand the suffering of others, we remain closed into our own worlds of pain, and thus tend to push all else out. When we step outside of our shells, we find that there is suffering all around, and that perhaps, by simply reaching out a helping hand to someone that needs you, you find that you need them every bit as much, and instead of two individuals floundering to stay afloat in the world, you find that you are more than the sum of your parts simply by coming together in a common purpose. Synergy, if you will comes from the addition of two things that become greater than just two pieces.
Scott brings up the point that our society focuses so much on the individual, and individual achievement, that we often neglect the fact that we are For lack of better wording, I have to say that we are meant to be together. We are all human, we are all part of a greater whole, whether from a religious standpoint or from a purely scientific one. We functioned in ancient times as a group. In such a group, we depended on each other for our very survival, because the individual couldn't survive on their own. We find that even in our current society, this is true in many ways. Yes, there will always be the hermitic exceptions, but most people are never truly happy, (Happiness Another discussion for another night I fear) unless we are interacting with other people.
This brings us to the 'why' of Compassion. Why is it that when your neighbor loses his wife, you feel a need to comfort him, to support him, and to stand with him? Why is it that when a child is lost, the whole community gets together to find them? Why is it, that when one feels pain, so does another? These questions I fear are much deeper than we can answer tonight, but they are questions to pose for certain. Is there a little voice inside of you that secretly tells you when you should feel hurt for another? Is there a radio beacon that transmits from one mind to another saying 'I need you now'?
Scott poses that he feels God is within each and every human being, and as such, when another suffers, he is part of a community that shares this God, and that you simply cannot turn away from another soul that is part of this communion. By turning away from the suffering of another, you are turning away from your relationship not just with the other person, but from your relationship between you, the person, and God as well. Keep in mind please, that this is not simply to keep from offending God, but more to strengthen the relationships between the individuals and with God as well.
Once again, it is time for us to bring this back to the center, and tie this to the way of the Warrior. Through Compassion, we become empathetic to our fellows, and through our empathy, we join with them in a closer communion. Through Compassion, we build understanding, and often through understanding, we build trust. Without trust, we have nothing to stand upon but our words, and we all know that words are a dime a dozen. It is the trait of Compassion, that allows the Warrior to understand their 'foe' and through true understanding, we find instead of defeating the opposition, we can instead help them to see our version of the story. Much can be said for the power of diplomacy as opposed to the Iron Fist.
People I suppose, often think of Compassion as a weakness, but I find that instead, it is a strength. There are those that would say mercy is a show of weakness, or inability to follow through with destruction. There are those that say Compassion is just another word for pity, and that pity is a destructive emotion. I disagree with both kinds of people. Mercy takes a lot of inner strength, and Compassion is not pity. Compassion is taking upon your self, the suffering of others; putting your self in their shoes, so to speak. Often it is said that the idealist will tout Compassion as a way to strengthen society. Perhaps more than this, Compassion is our way to reconnect the individual to society. It is through the connections we form that we become stronger, more than just scattered individuals, but instead, a people, a strength, a force even. It is through our Compassion that we grow in spirit, and ultimately, find ourselves.
Once again, my dear readers, the hour grows late, and I find myself in need of rest. My friend Scott and I have many discussions to share as well, and time is always thin. I ask you once again, please, read, think, and reply. Give me YOUR thoughts. I have now given you two of the seven, and not a single response back. I watch the numbers on the read counter, and they stagger me. Since Sunday, over 80 reads. Your dedication amazes me, and your interest stirs my soul. I give you my words, my thoughts, and yes tonight, Scott has given you his as well. Please, give us your own. Share with us, a part of yourselves, as we share with you. I eagerly await your response, and will return soon for the third installment of our Dialogues As you are my Loyal friends and readers, our next Dialogue will be about Loyalty. Until then, we bid you all a good night.
The Warrior Dialogues, Loyalty.
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Religion and Philosophy
My dear readers I apologize for the delay of this, the third installment of our dialogues. First postponed by a much needed trip to Anchorage, then by sheer exhaustion, I firmly intend to give you Loyalty tonight. What an amusing statement. I intend to give you loyalty tonight. Ah well. With that, I invite you all to make yourselves comfortable. Grab something to drink, put your thinking cap on, sit back and relax while you read. Thank you for joining us yet again. The topic for the third of the Warrior Dialogues is Loyalty, chosen as third place by random poll. As with the other discussions, tonight we turn to www.dictionary.com for our definition of Loyalty. I was surprised that I found more in the synonyms section than in the actual definitions part, and so that is what I will put here. 2. fealty, devotion, constancy. Loyalty, allegiance, fidelity all imply a sense of duty or of devoted attachment to something or someone. Loyalty connotes sentiment and the feeling of devotion that one holds for one's country, creed, family, friends, etc. And for definitions 1. The state or quality of being loyal; faithfulness to commitments or obligations. 2. An example or instance of faithfulness, adherence, or the like. Quite a lot of the same thing over and over, isn't it? I suppose to put it bluntly, Loyalty is devotion, allegiance, fidelity; all of these things that we use to say sticking with something or someone. To me, Loyalty is a key thing not only in my life, but in my personal relationships. I have always prided myself on being faithful, loyal, unwavering even in just my support. Loyalty applies to our connections to friends, family, governments, countries, ethnic origins, groups we join or form, and a great many other parts of our interactions with others. It's quite amazing how one simple word can have so many profound interactions within our lives, isn't it? Honestly I have to say it's rather hard to pose questions about Loyalty for me. I suppose we could start with little questions. Why do we feel it? What are exactly, the ties that bind? People use phrases like 'Blood is thicker than water' and 'Loyal to a fault'. If you are truly devoted to something, or even someone, is it really possible to be too loyal to them? Perhaps if you consider that oftentimes the loyalty is coupled with other feelings and emotions that tend to cloud judgment, I can see where that might be the case. Is blood really thicker than water? Well literally yes, but oftentimes we find that loyalties are strained, and that bonds we thought were strong are really quite fragile. What is it that makes Loyalty so key then, to our interactions with people? Well to my understanding, without Loyalty, people are constantly unsure where someone's intentions lie. It's uncertain whether they will stand with you, or if they'll turn on you at any time. Then again, with life, things like that hardly ever seem certain, but it's the idea that counts. Loyalty is more mortar between people. Loyalty stems from trust. When you trust those you work with, or those you are friends with, or even those you love, the bonds cannot help but grow, as long as the trust is not misplaced that is. And if it is, what then? How do we determine when Loyalty has been breached? Does each person have their own code of honor to follow, or is there a universal standard which sets what lines shouldn't be crossed when testing your Loyalty? What exactly are the things that inspire Loyalty in people? I truly can only speak for myself in this regard as I haven't asked anyone else what their thoughts on the matter are. For me, affection tends to inspire it, as does trust. When people are honest with me, I tend to be more loyal with them. A common bond, such as my fire department often creates a sense of Loyalty bordering on that of familial devotion. One can be loyal to their people, or their country, as our soldiers are, or as (in theory), politicians are supposed to be. Loyalty to a team seems to be inspired by working together closely. I suppose all in all, most Loyalty in most cases is born of trust. What does it take to make trust? I think that's a topic for an entire blog all on its own, wouldn't you agree? Though it seems I am sure, quite evident, this is the time where we will tie the quality of Loyalty in to the path of the Warrior. As we have discussed, the Warrior stands for what they believe in. Loyalty to one's cause, one's people, one's way of life, family, whatever need be stood for. The Warrior fights regardless of the cost to themselves often, and it takes tremendous Loyalty to stand and fight when others run, or when you are afraid that the things you are fighting for are not being as closely defended as the spot where you stand at this very moment. Without Loyalty to hold them together, a band of Warriors would not have any cohesive strength, and would falter, becoming just a bunch of pieces instead of a powerful whole. Loyalty throughout time has been a source of stories, contention, and legend. The betrayal of Loyalty as well, has become the stuff that history is made from. When Judas was said to have betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver to the Romans, or even when Julius Caesar was betrayed by his best friend, Brutus. Loyalty and the testing of it abounds in our literature as well. In the epic Lord of The Rings, the final segment is entitled 'The Return of the King', and therein, Aragorn calls upon the dead to make good on their promise which they forsook so many years before. To call up on loyalty, or a pact made in good faith is often in our stories. When kings and lords would call upon their allies because their Loyalties lay together, it was a great undertaking. It's quite obvious that without Loyalty, a great many interpersonal and other types of relationships would simply fail. Nations would crumble, and their allies would be nothing more than neighbors or acquaintances. What does Loyalty mean to you? Is it something you strive to achieve? To inspire in others in regards to an organization, or even to yourself? Do you have children which you try to instill a sense of Loyalty into? What inspires you to be loyal to someone, or to a group? Do you feel that you are a loyal citizen? Do you feel that you are loyal to your family, or to your friends? Another big question for you would be to wonder if you keep your promises, because promises indicate Loyalty. So many things to think about for all of you. Please, I beg again of you to leave comments, post ideas and thoughts. To date, we have had over 300 views since the initial posting of the Preface. Over 300, and look how few comments. This is important to me, as these words are the words I live my life by, my readers. These words are not just words to me. They are not just ideas to me. These words are my way of life. When I breathe in, I take them into myself. When I exhale, I give them to you all. Please, as you take my words, I implore you to give me your own. Share with me, and with everyone, your thoughts. I am exhausted and it is early my dear readers, so I will rest for now, but I will return in a more timely manner for our next discussion, when we will open up to the topic of Honor, and all that it entails. Until then my dear readers, I bid you all a good night.
The Warrior Dialogues: Honor
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Religion and Philosophy
My dear readers, once again my apologies for my absence. If it's not one thing, it is bound to be another. I have spent many a night pondering our topic of choice today, and truly I cannot say I am any closer to an answer today than I have been any other day. What is Honor? While you read this online, the original writing was done with pen and paper; lines of ink becoming fine intent and discourse. For this topic I will endeavor to present an organized train of thoughts, but I promise nothing in such regard. And so without further delay, Honor.
As a child, I thought Honor to be much the same as honesty, for was it not our Honor that we as children swore by? Ah, but what did we know? As I grew to a youth, my perceptions changed and I began to understand how Honor also encompassed duty, and how it required perserverence and a moral code of sorts. When I first felt I had begun my path to manhood, it was such a course I strove to follow. Years of reading, study, watching, and just pondering, passed. I learned much, but so little in comparison to what I could have.
It was not until college that I really began to understand what I was trying to do. I was trying to define my own sense of Honor. What did it mean to me? Partly, to put the needs of others above my own desires. Partly it meant that I needed to stand and do what I was called upon for, even if others faltered along the way. I felt that I had a need to stand for what I believed in, and to fight for those that were wronged however I could. I realized eventually that for me to live in a way that I felt was honorable, I had to live by the other words of our topics. That for me to have Honor meant to fight for justice, to try and be courageous, honest, loyal, compassionate, and sincere. Words to live by, as I call them.
I cannot say I am perfect, but I do strive to live these ideals. Few walk indeed that may say they have never strayed from this path. It's not an easy path, and you find a great amount of pain along the way. At times, it seems a lonely road, and that everyone either looks down on you for merely trying, or worse, that everyone seems to think you feel you are better than they, when in fact you feel you are among the lowest.
For each of us, Honor consists of different levels based on need, society, upbringing, and where we are in our lives. Just because one person's sense of Honor dictates a course of action does not mean given the same or a similar situation, another will do the same thing. Our perceptions are our guides on this path, and we can only see them through the eyes and hearts which we call our own. What defines what actions are honorable? You do, my dear readers. Therin lies the power that we have. We choose our path and through it, define ourselves.
What does Honor mean to you? For some it is a curse, others, a gift. Do you strive to follow your path even when the way is hard, or do you find more often that you do not wish to fight all the time? It is hard beyond belief to take the path that seems at once to be harder to follow, but to me, the rewards outweigh the initial roughness of the path. Was it not the poet Robert Frost, who wrote about the path less traveled?
Once again, I have run dry my rambling river. The sun brightly warming my face calls to me. Think about what Honor means to you. Do you have a code that you live by? Share it, not just with me, but with everyone who will read our dialogues. This gift is something someone may treasure. Perhapse those of you who tread the path already can give some insight or support to those just beginning their journeys. On that note, I will depart. and I will return to you again in due time. Umtil again comes my dear readers...
The Warrior Dialogues: Courage
Current mood: exhausted
Category: Religion and Philosophy
My dear readers... This installment is more than simply late, or tardy. It is downright out of sorts late. I apologize, and so without further introduction, I bring you the next installment of The Warrior Dialogues... Courage.
As with the previous dialogues, I'd like to begin with a definition from Dictionary.com which is as follows... Courage: The quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulties, danger, pain, etc, without fear. Originating first in Latin, as cor (heart or inner strength) then translating into vulgar Latin as coraticum, and Old French as corage, it is safe to say the word isn't the only part of COurage that has evolved over the ages. For hundreds, even thousands of years, we have been given models of Courage, not only in stories and legends such as Beowulf, but also in reality, as in the men and women who gave their lives to save others during the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks.
To most people, the aforementioned definition of Courage is the truest meaning possible, but I would like to put forth a change to that. To me, Courage is not to do all of those things without fear, but despite it instead. We all feel fear in some way, whether we choose to admit it to others or not. It is my contention that the courageous person feels the same fears as we, but understands that their fears must be set aside for the sake of others, or in some cases, the greater good.
I suppose to me, Courage is a lot more than mere bravery. I feel that true Courage transcends our selfishness and enters a realm of something greater. Many people have faced adversity, most if not all of us in fact. We have seen danger, or felt pain, but it is another thing all together when we do it for the sake of someone else, even for a complete stranger. Some say it is great strength of heart. Perhaps this is so, or perhaps those individuals who possess such a measure of courage, carry the heart of a warrior. For those of you new to this concept, pleas understand that my definition of a warrior is not simply a soldier, but specifically someone who fights for their beliefs, and what is right, regardless of or despite the consequences.
Is Courage something we are born with? Is it something we develop over time? Could it be that Courage in its most raw form surfaces only in times of great need? What is it that separates the brave from the courageous? Why do some people seem to ahve it and others couldn't grasp even the concept?
You might as well ask how you can be courageous for all the answers you could get. Perhaps all it takes is a visit to the Wizard of Oz. What is Courage to you? Tell us about a person you see as courageous. Do they exhibit any of the other traits we have been discussing?
How does Courage fit into the Warrior Dialogues? For me, the answer is simple. Courage alone is not enough to fuel the fires necessary to fight for what you believe in. Honesty, compassion, loyalty... They work together to give integrity, and when one possesses the strength of character and moral convictions, it follows that they have a measure of Courage to go with them.
Alas, I believe my inspiration is waning for the evening, and so I will leave it to you, my readers, to your stories of courage, and how they have inspired you to deal with your own lives. I fear I must sound like a broken record, but without your responses, and your thoughts, all of my work here is in vain. Please, remember that when I share with you, I share with ALL of you, and anything you share in return is likewise a gift to the masses. On that note, I bid you all goodnight. Until again comes.
The Warrior Dialogues: Justice
Current mood: aggravated
Category: Religion and Philosophy
I know my friends, that it has been some time since I have posted toward our goal of the Warrior Dialogues, but it seems that tonight my muse has returned, whatever it may be, and that I am once again filled with the strength and energy to carry on. We left off our discussions with only two more to go, Justice, and Sincerity. Tonight Justice is our lady, and we will dance words around her in hopes of filling us all with thoughts and ideas on the topic. As usual, we start with definitions from our favorite site, www.dictionary.com as follow... Justice 1) the quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness, 2) the moral principle determining just conduct, and 3) the administering of deserved punishment or reward. There were many other definitions listed but these in particular fit our discussions most clearly. It comes to us from Latin through the Old French words for righteousness and equity.
My dear readers, it is with great trepidation that I dive into this topic tonight. Justice is such a subjective thing in most cases that it's often hard to discuss it in any form without having a level of controversy. Regardless of this, I intend to delve into this as thoroughly as we have waded through our other topics in this series. I suppose since we've already defined what Justice is in a dictionary, I could say at least what Justice means to me. Quite simply, true Justice is the enactment of what is right, and fair upon the world around us. Whether it is cosmic in nature, and enabled by forces unseen, or whether it is mundane, and enacted by people around us, I think that Justice is that which helps create balance in our world.
Throughout the ages, rules and laws have been applied to us in order to define what is just and unjust. People have fought wars and a great many lives have been lost because of the desire for justice, and also in retaliation for injustices enacted upon people. When individuals form a group and decide upon their morals both personal and societal, generally they form a sense of right and wrong, and thusly, a sense of Justice. Often when we think of Justice, we are reminded of the courts, and of the police, and of course, of punishment, but all of these things are merely avenues by which Justice is enabled and enforced. Justice itself is something that we cannot simply capture as simply as crime and punishment.
How does Justice fit in with the ideas of the Warrior? Well as we have discussed, the Warrior is an individual that fights for what they think is right. Simply put, they live to enact and embody the principle of Justice. The idea that one must always do what is right, regardless of the cost, is often attributed to those that are truly just, and so it falls to the Warrior's code to follow. When we live a path that guides us to Justice, we are often faced with decisions based on the morality of another's actions. It is not up to us though, to decide what circumstances mitigate Justice. That is a decision that is left up to the people as a whole, not to the individual. It is given in this manner because it is not the place of the Warrior to define Justice, or even to decide upon it, but merely to be the enactment of what has been decided is just or right.
We bring this back to the traits found in a hero, and we can plainly see why Justice is so important to the hero's makeup. A hero is said to fight for Justice and for 'what is right'. A hero stands for a cause, and will often defend those that are unable to from persons who intend to take away their basic human rights. It is often the task of the hero to deliver the villan to a Justice system such as the court, the police, or simply the jail. Time and time again though we are faced with the real truth of Justice, that it is not defined by the individual, but by what is best for society, and what society accepts as just, and right. Tonight my readers, after a long absence, I bring you once again words and seeds of thought. I hope as always that they give you something to think about, and to talk about, and perhaps, something to write about in your own time. If you choose to comment, please do so and share with other readers here what your thoughts on Justice are. For me, it is simply part of a way of life, though not much is out there that is less simple. Thank you all for reading, and I look forward to our next discussion. Until again my dear readers.
The Warrior Dialogues: Sincerity
Category: Religion and Philosophy
My dearest readers, I apologize as it has been some time since my last post, but I have been attending to other portions of my life. Despite this, I have spent some time thinking about our seventh installment into the Warrior Dialogues, and am ready to open once again, the floodgates of my thought. This morning, Sincerity is our topic.
As has been our method, we will start with definition from www.dictionary.com as well as the origins of the word. According to our source, Sincerity is defined as "freedom from deceit, hypocrisy, or duplicity; probity in intention or in communicating; earnestness. " Looking back to the origins, the word can be traced back to Latin. Sinceritatem, from sincerus, meaning sound, pure, whole, or perhaps originally "of one growth" meaning not hybrid or unmixed. Simply by those words alone, I believe we can see how easily this concept lies within the realm of our Warrior.
Freedom from deceit. Something that is pure. Purity has been a quality long touted and admired by many. Should not the consummate Warrior possess it as well? But there is more to the word than just being truthful. There is earnestness. To put into what one does, a degree of seriousness in their efforts. I'm sure you'll agree that the Warrior of whom we speak should possess such a quality. A person that truly believes in what they do will always carry that sense of duty with them. Perhaps a sense of honor about what they do even. A person should strive for that depth in their intentions, and in their actions.
In our day to day lives, sincerity plays a role. You can cause someone to respond when you say "Have a nice day", but when you put feeling and Sincerity behind your words, you can brighten their day. We often write a letter closed with the word "Sincerely", to emphasize that what came before is written with seriousness and earnestness. And yet, the word is undervalued as a quality. We find insincerity to be quite a put-off. People who lack the quality are often discounted, and looked down upon. It should be remembered that there is more to Sincerity than just being serious. It involves putting your heart into what you say and do, so that your Sincerity shows not just in your words, but also your deeds.
It would follow that Sincerity would go hand in hand with the other qualities we have discussed, or at least that is my belief. Honor, Justice, Courage, Compassion, Honesty, Loyalty. All of these qualities or traits feed from each other. To be truly honest requires Sincerity in your words. To enact true justice, or to be truly compassionate, is not Sincerity deemed necessary? How can one fight for a cause they believe is true, if they do not have heart in themselves to act in earnest? Just as one will not fight for a cause they do not believe in, it seems unlikely to fight for something you don't take seriously.
If our Warrior possesses these qualities, so then should our Hero. Sincerity in the Hero is as important as in an individual. I suppose my best example at the moment is a firefighter. One of my longest standing friendships is with a firefighter. Ever since he was a child, he wanted to be a fireman. In college, he dedicated himself to the application of the knowledge from his classes to his work. I watched him grow from the 'bandage jockey' to the fully licensed Paramedic, and from a probie to a fully certified Firefighter II. In all of these things he showed ambition, and determination, but there was so much more to it.
My friend loves his job. He loves to help people. Every time he goes on a call, he acts fully well knowing the balance of another person's life is in his hands. There are some I am sure, that do this kind of work because of the pay involved, or because they love the rush, but from experience, most of the people in the service do it because they sincerely want to help people. They stand as our line of offense and defense against the world itself. They protect us with their lives as much as a soldier does. Sincerity in their thoughts and actions is readily obvious.
My readers, it has been some time since I last wrote, but the next installment will be soon. Following this, the last of our seven dialogues, we will pull all of these qualities together to find our Warrior, and see how each of us may live that character in our simplest of actions. It is nearly time to bring all of this together to complete the cycle, and present once again, the Hero. I have some research that I must do before I will be ready to write that last of the series, but no matter... My time is yours my friends. As the sun returns, so shall I. Until again, my dearest readers.
odinsbird:
i miss you!!!! and the kitty!!! 