Growth

It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.

- C.S. Lewis

There are a lot of things that a person can become in this life. Unfortunately none of those things happens without a lot of change and a lot of work. For us very often this means that we must do the work and make the change happen ourselves. Nobody else is going to do it for us.

The gem of truth I like in this quote is that we either have to do something or by default we won't achieve what we want. Sloth by its very nature drives us to become less than what we are, and that in and of itself is (or should be) enough to convince me to be a better person.

Wisdom

Every man is a damn fool for at least five minutes every day; wisdom consists in not exceeding the limit.

-Elbert Hubbard

This really struck me in terms of reflection. I know that as for myself I'm not the brightest light on the Christmas tree, but I do shine when I can. I think that all too often we don't give ourselves enough credit for the good things that we do and allow ourselves to behave foolishly to try to cover up our own inadequacies.

For those that don't know Elbert Hubbard, he was an author and editor in the early 20th century. He was known for his quotations, especially his satire and whimsy.

Aesop

Any excuse will serve a tyrant.

-Aesop


How often in our own lives do we seek to dominate those around us? Our spouse? Our children? Our co-workers?

All too often the excuses we offer for our poor behavior are little more than flimsy veils to pad our own conscience while we endulge ourselves in domineering activities that have no place in a civilized society.

I look in the mirror and see in myself the opportunity to become a better person.