No, we must work. To tell the truth, even the work is not great, if only, as I said, we begin to mold and reconstruct our souls before they are hardened by sin. But I do not despair even of a hardened sinner.
There is nothing that will not surrender to persistent treatment, to concentrated and careful attention; however much the timber may be bent, you can make it straight again. Heat unbends curved beams, and wood that grew naturally in another shape is fashioned artificially according to our needs.
How much more easily does the soul permit itself to be shaped, pliable as it is and more yielding than any liquid! For what else is the soul than air in a certain state? And you see that air is more adaptable than any other matter, in proportion as it is rarer than any other.
There is nothing that will not surrender to persistent treatment, to concentrated and careful attention; however much the timber may be bent, you can make it straight again. Heat unbends curved beams, and wood that grew naturally in another shape is fashioned artificially according to our needs.
How much more easily does the soul permit itself to be shaped, pliable as it is and more yielding than any liquid! For what else is the soul than air in a certain state? And you see that air is more adaptable than any other matter, in proportion as it is rarer than any other.
—from Seneca, Moral Letters 50
Why do we assume labor of any sort to be a burden? We regularly refer to “work” as a grueling and tedious chore, something we are forced to do if we wish to pay the mortgage, though we’ll find a way to do as little as possible if we can get away with it.
Yet if we think of work as a free choice rather than a form of coercion, and we understand why our actions are truly fulfilling, wouldn’t we then enjoy working? And if we enjoy it, how is it any less appealing than play?
After worrying for some time that I was inclined to laziness, I finally realized that exertion didn’t bother me at all, as long as I aligned myself to its purpose. When I find joy in the good, then the blood, sweat, and tears become like badges of honor.
A resolution to act proceeds from conviction, and conviction is a function of awareness. All the toil is worth it, if only I know that the goal is peace of mind. Though sadly out of fashion at the moment, as is the case for good manners in general, saying “It was my pleasure!” reflects something of an attitude where the dignity of the deed is its own reward.
So, if I know what is at stake, the work no longer seems so hard. It would be best if I could avoid tearing up everything I have already laid down over the years, but even then, the act of starting again can be taken as a glorious victory. Instead of dragging myself along, I find myself with a spring in my step.
Some like to say that people never change, yet they most certainly can and do change, with the key being the degree of focus and enthusiasm. If I want it enough, I will go through hell and high water, and I won’t complain a bit.
Like a muscle that becomes more flexible by stretching, consciousness will more easily adapt with exercise. Contrary to expectation, it’s starting out that is the most difficult.
The soul is, after all, an active principle, and its power to shape the meaning in circumstances is remarkable. There is a good reason why the Stoics spoke of pneuma, breath, as representing the vital and creative force of mind.
Why do we assume labor of any sort to be a burden? We regularly refer to “work” as a grueling and tedious chore, something we are forced to do if we wish to pay the mortgage, though we’ll find a way to do as little as possible if we can get away with it.
Yet if we think of work as a free choice rather than a form of coercion, and we understand why our actions are truly fulfilling, wouldn’t we then enjoy working? And if we enjoy it, how is it any less appealing than play?
After worrying for some time that I was inclined to laziness, I finally realized that exertion didn’t bother me at all, as long as I aligned myself to its purpose. When I find joy in the good, then the blood, sweat, and tears become like badges of honor.
A resolution to act proceeds from conviction, and conviction is a function of awareness. All the toil is worth it, if only I know that the goal is peace of mind. Though sadly out of fashion at the moment, as is the case for good manners in general, saying “It was my pleasure!” reflects something of an attitude where the dignity of the deed is its own reward.
So, if I know what is at stake, the work no longer seems so hard. It would be best if I could avoid tearing up everything I have already laid down over the years, but even then, the act of starting again can be taken as a glorious victory. Instead of dragging myself along, I find myself with a spring in my step.
Some like to say that people never change, yet they most certainly can and do change, with the key being the degree of focus and enthusiasm. If I want it enough, I will go through hell and high water, and I won’t complain a bit.
Like a muscle that becomes more flexible by stretching, consciousness will more easily adapt with exercise. Contrary to expectation, it’s starting out that is the most difficult.
The soul is, after all, an active principle, and its power to shape the meaning in circumstances is remarkable. There is a good reason why the Stoics spoke of pneuma, breath, as representing the vital and creative force of mind.
—Reflection written in 3/2013
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