I am in the process of reading an excerpt from an essay by Charlotte Mason titled “Concerning Children as Persons”. She writes on “Some Forms of Liberty”, asserting, as you do, that true liberty is to be set free from one’s own desires, and to do that which is our duty. She points out that so many adults themselves live their lives by what they elect and choose to do because they think they have “kindly instincts and benevolent emotions”… This delusion strikes me as being sneaky in our hearts like a weed, growing up unnoticed. Her whole essay is relevant to your piece here, and I appreciate them both! Mason emphasizes much of this comes from self-consciousness (emphasis on self, selfish), and I love the image you’ve given of making the center of our attention the Tree of Life rather than ourself.
Wow! I've never heard of this essay, but I'll have to get my hands on it - sounds like she's making a much more sophisticated version of my argument here. Thanks for telling me about it!
She was an educational philosopher in England in the late 1800s. I like to think of her as the Victorian Fred Rogers… but yes, she wrote entire volumes on children and education. Absolutely brilliant! I think this essay is in Volume 5.
“The strange irony is that we only discover true freedom via self-sacrifice. The only antidote to the pervasive poison of greed is to care more about others than ourselves.”
So hard, but extremely important. I would dare say we cannot become this type of person (self-sacrificing, others-focused) by our own will.
spot on, brother. just like we can't plant the tree of life without the help of the Gardener.
the mystery is how our will, through being subject to His will, somehow does lead us to this self-sacrificial way of living. so it's not like I stop existing or stop having the ability to choose or exercise my will, but I discover the freedom of reducing my choices down to Him alone.
thanks as always for reading and your insightful comments.
I just finished reading The Magician’s Nephew, and a lot of what you wrote here reminded me of Digory on his quest for the tree Aslan sent him after (the Tree of Life) and the internal battle he faced there. Loved the illustrations included here, too.
Thanks Rosa, a lovely connection I hadn't thought about! I haven't read TMN in a number of years, but the way Lewis describes the Tree and the fruit as emanating light has stuck with me.
Feel free to share this post and your thoughts, I'm sure it will spark some edifying discussion.
Love it, my friend.
Thanks Josh, means a lot.
It’s like two sides of the same coin.
I think you're from the Okanagan too? That might explain it haha
I am in the process of reading an excerpt from an essay by Charlotte Mason titled “Concerning Children as Persons”. She writes on “Some Forms of Liberty”, asserting, as you do, that true liberty is to be set free from one’s own desires, and to do that which is our duty. She points out that so many adults themselves live their lives by what they elect and choose to do because they think they have “kindly instincts and benevolent emotions”… This delusion strikes me as being sneaky in our hearts like a weed, growing up unnoticed. Her whole essay is relevant to your piece here, and I appreciate them both! Mason emphasizes much of this comes from self-consciousness (emphasis on self, selfish), and I love the image you’ve given of making the center of our attention the Tree of Life rather than ourself.
Wow! I've never heard of this essay, but I'll have to get my hands on it - sounds like she's making a much more sophisticated version of my argument here. Thanks for telling me about it!
She was an educational philosopher in England in the late 1800s. I like to think of her as the Victorian Fred Rogers… but yes, she wrote entire volumes on children and education. Absolutely brilliant! I think this essay is in Volume 5.
Thank you for introducing me to this fabulous song! And for the wise thoughts, too.
no problem! you're in for a treat with The Avett Brothers, they have so many good songs
“The strange irony is that we only discover true freedom via self-sacrifice. The only antidote to the pervasive poison of greed is to care more about others than ourselves.”
So hard, but extremely important. I would dare say we cannot become this type of person (self-sacrificing, others-focused) by our own will.
spot on, brother. just like we can't plant the tree of life without the help of the Gardener.
the mystery is how our will, through being subject to His will, somehow does lead us to this self-sacrificial way of living. so it's not like I stop existing or stop having the ability to choose or exercise my will, but I discover the freedom of reducing my choices down to Him alone.
thanks as always for reading and your insightful comments.
I really enjoyed this. And, of course, your garden metaphor is one of my favorites.
Thank you Kimberly! It always means a lot when you take the time to read what I write.
I miss my old backyard garden dearly, but the soul-garden is even more important.
Brilliant - really enjoyed reading this. Haven’t listen to “I and love and you” for far too long. Love the line later in Ill With Want -
“Free is not your right to choose.
It’s answering what’s asked of you.”
I just finished reading The Magician’s Nephew, and a lot of what you wrote here reminded me of Digory on his quest for the tree Aslan sent him after (the Tree of Life) and the internal battle he faced there. Loved the illustrations included here, too.
Thanks Rosa, a lovely connection I hadn't thought about! I haven't read TMN in a number of years, but the way Lewis describes the Tree and the fruit as emanating light has stuck with me.
Feel free to share this post and your thoughts, I'm sure it will spark some edifying discussion.
I was raised up believing I was somehow unique
Like a snowflake distinct among snowflakes, unique in each way you can see
And now after some thinking, I'd say I'd rather be
A functioning cog in some great machinery serving something beyond me
-Fleet Foxes, 'Helplessness Blues'
Interesting! That is a great way to look at it - but a perspective that many will find challenging
Ah lovely, lunchtime reading—I’m going to print this. I’m bad at reading on the screen.
paper is best - I like making the pdf for that reason. let me know what you think of this one when you get a chance