“We are story-processing creatures, and the most effective stories are often embodied in people. Living examples of the lesson we’re trying to learn and the posture we hope to model…This is what saints do for us. This is why we put pictures on the wall or invoke the memories of the people who came before us. Reminded of our heroes, we know we can improve. We can work harder for justice, find more compassion and show up as a contribution. We can look at the ordinary moments when someone chose to keep going and realize that choice is available to us as well. There are so many extraordinary people who have come before. It’s on us to choose our heroes wisely and to do the hard work to honor the contributions they made. Even when it’s difficult and unpopular. Especially then.
Today is a fine day to consider who’s on our wall.” -Seth Godin
“When you need encouragement, think of the qualities the people around you have: this one’s energy, that one’s modesty, another’s generosity, and so on. Nothing is as encouraging as when virtues are visibly embodied in the people around us, when we’re practically showered with them. It’s good to keep this in mind.” -Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
“There is something of a civil war going on within all of our lives. There is a recalcitrant South of our soul revolting against the North of our soul. And there is this continual struggle within the very structure of every individual life.” -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Remember back in high school and/or college?…You probably had posters of some of your heroes on your wall.
Who were on those posters and why did you put them up? (I’m guessing to inspire you.)
Who would be on your wall today?
Our heroes aren’t always perfect. Far from it. But perhaps what made them heroic is they had incredibly high standards. Both for themselves and society at large. And they consistently tried to live up to those standards.
That dream of a better world, that struggle for greatness…it should inspire us to do the same.
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