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Following Yi_Sen's prompt, in honor of Barbara Reilly, the greatest English teacher who ever lived, who gave me Richard II, I am convinced, solely that I should read this:
Thoughts tending to ambition, they do plot
Unlikely wonders: how these vain weak nails
May tear a passage through the flinty ribs
Of this hard world, my ragged prison walls;
And, for they cannot, die in their own pride.
Thoughts tending to content flatter themselves
That they are not the first of fortune's slaves,
Nor shall not be the last; like silly beggars
Who, sitting in the stocks, refuge their shame,
That many have and others must sit there;
And in this thought they find a kind of ease,
Bearing their own misfortunes on the back
Of such as have before endur'd the like.
Thus play I in one person many people,
And none contented. Sometimes am I king;
Then treasons make me wish myself a beggar,
And so I am. Then crushing penury
Persuades me I was better when a king;
Then am I king'd again; and by and by
Think that I am unking'd by Bolingbroke,
And straight am nothing. But whate'er I be,
Nor I, nor any man that but man is,
With nothing shall be pleas'd till he be eas'd
With being nothing.
September 26 2005, 15:01:17 UTC 6 years ago
Some idiocy to the (paraphrased) tune of: "God doesnt care how many degrees you have or how many business successes or what great political deeds you've accomplished." Then put this in stark contrast to the other pole of foolishness: that the works of a composer or a doctor or an artist or a priest are more "spiritual" than other professions and actions.
Vomit. Idiocy.
Of course God cares about what you've accomplished--to whom much is given much is expected. And the only thing that makes some thing "spiritual" is that it's dedicated to and done mindfully for the Glory of God.
So I'm not sure if you're getting at the same angst we've discussed before, but fuck the beggar shit. You're born a king. I think you know exactly where your kingdom is and need to go take your throne. You dont have the luxury of being a beggar--especially since there are so many more who fill that role. God will care about your successes--I doubt He expects anything less o' gifted one. I think you just need to stop worrying about your successes in xor terms of family, career, civics, etc when you know your arete lies in all--to varying degrees of course. As for what purpose you mindfully dedicate your efforts to, that's up to you.
But if you start getting any ideas about all that devoting your life to an ideal and an incorruptible symbol, yada-yada--just remeber I have dibbs on the creepy Batman-like Midnight Avenger. Get your own.