Excerpt from Song of the Open Road by Walt Whitman Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road, Healthy, free, the world before me, The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose. Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune, Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing, Done …
Tag: righteousness
The Invisible Fence
My in-law's dog wore a path in the grass which exactly follows the line of the invisible fence around their yard. Whether he created the rut in an attempt to explore his escape options or because he sought to maximize his territory I cannot be sure, but the visual has always struck me as a …
The Impulsion of Goodness
You have likely heard it said that man is fundamentally flawed or evil, born stained by original sin and in need of redemption as it is often put in the Abrahamic religions, or under the necessity of learning lessons to achieve enlightenment in the Eastern religions. But I say unto you that man is at …
Fair and Right
The notion that the right thing to do is always fair or that fairness is always right is utterly false. Right and fair occasionally align, but assuming that they do in all cases is an incredibly limiting perspective. The idea that anything right must also be fair is one of the many unfortunate by-products of …
The Road of Right
"It takes courage to live squarely in accord with principle, to be loyal to the inner vision, to move forward bravely along the road of right, when the by-paths are alluring with the roses of desire, and the joy we crave tempts our hungry outstretched hand, and that which our heart longs for would be …
The Ultimate Safeguard
"The man whose self-respect safeguards him never takes undue advantage. There is a strain of fine chivalry which runs through it all. The secret of another is as secure from discovery as though it was a pebble thrown into the sea. He would be above using it as a weapon, even of defense, no matter …
The Courage to Face Ingratitude XV
"Let us forget the good deeds we have done by making them seem small in comparison with the greater things we are doing, and the still greater acts we hope to do. This is true generosity, and will develop gratitude in the soul of him who has been helped, unless he is so petrified in …
The Courage to Face Ingratitude XIV
"The essence of truest kindness lies in the grace with which it is performed. Some men seem to discount all gratitude, almost make it impossible, by the way in which they grant favors. They make you feel so small, so mean, so inferior; your cheeks burn with indignation in the acceptance of the boon you …
Life Lessons Made Easy
One of the greatest challenges any leader who truly cares about those around him faces is helping those for whom he is responsible to overcome mental, moral or emotional weaknesses that are preventing the full expression of their inner perfection. This responsibility devolves upon leaders of all stripes - parents, teachers, managers and more - …
The Red Tape of Duty I
"Duty is the most over-lauded word in the whole vocabulary of life. Duty is the cold, bare anatomy of righteousness. Duty looks at life as a debt to be paid; love sees life as a debt to be collected. Duty is ever paying assessments; love is constantly counting its premiums. Duty is forced, like a …
Gregory Hake 