Inspire: Know Thyself

Thomas Fitzgerald Photography

One of the Hellenic groups I am a part of has recently started working through the Maxims.  The first one is one of the most important, in any religion, and that is Know Thyself.  It seems like such a simple concept, knowing yourself.  How could we not know ourselves?  We know our names, we know where we come from, we know where we are.

Or do we?

The little things that make us up  is what I believe this applies to.  To truly know yourself you have to clean house, go to all those little dark corners where the dust bunnies live under spiderwebs and look at what is there.  Not in your actual house, but your soul's house. To be fully in your own skin, you have to make peace with those things you don't like about yourself.  That may require you to take action to change those things, those habits, or to devote your time to helping others who are in the same position.

I recently read Dharma Punx by Noah Levine and his entire book is sort of about coming to know himself.  Well, it's more about living mindfully, but it is a similar theme.  I recommend the book and it gave me something to think about.  Granted, I never went down the path of drugs and violence, but there was a point, several points, where it could have been a possibility.

I had a conversation with a friend this weekend about teaching my son manners and how I am old fashioned in my manners.  I have anarchistic ideals and view points, but I hold doors open and say thank you.  We figured out that I might hold these manners to be important because so few people do them nowadays.  That's the way I'm a punk, I guess.

The road to knowing yourself is difficult because it's never over. 

Who are you?

PS - We have our water back, yay!  They thought it would take until Tuesday at the earliest, but they had it back on last night, all uncontaminated and such.  And those plastic bottles I was worried about?  I forgot that while Ames has not actual recycling program (put your recyclables in this bin and we will pick it up), they do recycle waste into energy.  Those plastic bottles will be cut up and used to create energy instead of coal.  Go Ames!