Shakespear

"This above all-to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be fast to any man."
~Hamlet, act1, scene3, lines 78-80

I think I mentioned I've been reading "After You Believe" by N.T. Wright. I have to give a devotional message about character with information from this book for class, Tuesday November 30. So, I'm doing homework the day after Thanksgiving. Eat your hearts out you Black Friday Shoppers!

Wright asserts there is a powerful message within Western Culture which actually follows this line of thought from Shakespear. Many people take being true to themselves to mean they can, and should dow whatever the like. This is a concept I struggle against. I aggree with the idea being true to self often means do what you want in our culture. I struggle to not follow the idea. I've been trying to work out exactly when I fell off the train and bought into my culture entirely. I think it happened after I earned the rank of Eagle as a Boy Scout. I remember thinking I can't wait until I earn Eagle, because they I can do what I want. I had held leadership roles in my Boy Scout Troop and as a leader I had to lead by example. Once I earned the rank of Eagle I would no longer be bound by those rules and could even quit the Boy Scouts if I wanted. It wasn't until much later I realized living a life of honor with a strong sense of character while striving for something greater than myself were the first steps to finding a lasting joy in my life. I have never been joyful only living for what makes me happy. Are you simply living for what makes you happy, or are you striving for that something greater which offers lasting joy?