"Every noble impulse, every unselfish expression of love, every surrender of self to something higher than self, every loyalty to an ideal, every fine courage of the soul - by doing good for good's sake - that is spirituality." ― David O. At some point, we all try to live up to an ideal.We strive to be the best version of ourselves. There is that within us we are hardwired to seek, to climb, in order to attain the height of possible greatness of which we are all capable. Some might call this our Higher Self. I call it my Deeper Self. For as I endeavor to be more of who I am, as I seek to release all the chains which bind me to ego and self-interest, and materiality. I plumb the depths of my inner core to release the ideal image within.
In seeking to be the best version of myself, I endeavor to be more loving, more accepting, more generous, more joyful, more peaceful, more compassionate, more open, and more wise. I hold myself to the flame that I may burn away unreasonable judgement, selfishness or self-preoccupation, apathy and cynicism. I want to accept what is and not languish over what could be or what was. I want to give more than I receive, listen more than I speak, leap when I would shrink.
"It is something great and greatening to cherish an ideal; to act in the light of truth that is far-away and far above; to set aside the near advantage, the momentary pleasure; the snatching of seeming good to self; and to act for remoter ends, for higher good, and for interests other than our own." ― Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
Aiming for my ideal means I learn to embrace all the parts of me - even as I reach toward that essence of perfection. It means loving myself when I feel least lovable, affirming the goodness when all I see around me is dismal. It means accepting the world as it is while moving to help it be its best self, too.
Made from the One Presence, we all have a shining ideal within us. It is up to us to release it. It is up to us to aim high and strive to be all that we can be. When we do this, when more and more of us are engaged in this process, the potential to light up the world is limitless.
