3: remarkable in magnitude, degree, or effectiveness
At the Frist last week, the photography exhibit had photos of Abraham Lincoln and, in a separate gallery, Martin Luther King, Jr. I stopped to look closely at each of these images. I peered closely at these men and pondered what set them apart, what made them capable of being not just men, but great men. I walked away a bit disappointed because greatness isn't something visible in a photograph. We can't see, in looking at an image of either of these men, what made them brave enough to listen to the inner voice telling them to take the path less traveled.
I wonder if Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. had doubts. I wondered if they felt unworthy of their high calling. I wonder if they even saw it as a high calling. These are men who shaped the country we live in by standing up for what is right, not just for themselves, but for others. I think they are undoubtedly great, not only for the unique skills and abilities they possessed, but for their self-sacrifice.
Imagine being King's daughter and giving up time with your daddy because he needed to hop on a plane to Dallas for a march. Imagine being Mary Todd Lincoln and knowing your husband was putting the safety of thousands before his own safety. While I might be willing to sacrifice my own life for something, it would be harder to watch a loved one make that sacrifice.
It makes me realize how far I fall short of who I want to me. I am so selfish at the core of my being. I want to be willing to sacrifice for others, but where am I doing that in my daily life? Instead, I bemoan the fact that my day is too full for me to take time for me, especially time to write. While I spent a good chunk of my weekend creating a haven, I've not had much opportunity to spend time there. Is it selfish of me to long for this? Or is it impossible for me to achieve any degree of greatness if I never use the gifts I have, gifts that require quiet solitude?
I'm not really aiming for greatness. I just want the ache to write to subside a little - maybe enough to let me breathe if I must go twenty-four hours without time to sit quietly. I'm not sure how a post on greatness turned into a post about me. I guess that puts my selfishness front and center, doesn't it?
3 comments:
Great post - and not an easy subject. I remember reading the book, John Adams, and wondering how he justified neglecting his family duties in order to fight for a revolutionary cause. I'm so glad he did - as are millions others. Yet if he had been my husband, I think I would have been very disapproving of his choices. What does that say about me? (At least you're not the only one whose questions usually end in self-examination.) Thanks for keeping up your blog - I enjoy it!
Yes, after thinking this through while writing the post, I actually wonder if it's harder to be the family of one destined for greatness than the one who possesses that potential. Sacrifice my husband for a cause? That's a tough pill to swallow, but it's also the example Christ gave us - and then some. Praise God for mercy and grace because I fall so short of the standards set for me.
I've thought a lot about this, being a military spouse. In my own very selfish moments, I often feel like civilian spouses don't understand or appreciate at all the sacrifices that military families make on a daily basis. And I am angry at the growing gap between military and civilian families. However, in my better moments, I realize my family made sacrifices for my non-military parents' careers. I would encourage you to realize that to some degree all of us sacrifice our family time for the "causes" of father or mother. Think of all the times J was away late at night working for the firm when your girls were young and you really needed him. I'm sure there were times when you couldn't be the patient mother you wanted to be or cook the healthiest meal you wanted to because of his absence. In truth, all families do experience sacrifices for the causes of those we love.
Post a Comment