Field Notes: XII
Establishing Your Creed
A Line to Live By
“Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”
-Theodore Roosevelt
Field Insight:
People used to spend a lot more time alone. They were likely to spend more time by themself than in the presence of others. When that’s the case, there is nobody’s respect more important to earn than the respect of yourself.
Today, social media and the bustle of society keep infinite eyes on us at all times. It leaves little room for us to form our own opinion of ourselves.
Unless we make it a priority, that is. If we don’t, we become reliant on the constant approval of others. A search that is never satisfied.
Today’s culture puts a huge emphasis on self-love. Self-love, just like love for another person, is appreciating yourself in spite of your flaws. Self-respect, however, is appreciating yourself for the quality of your character, and only doing so when you’ve earned it. Self-love and self-respect are both critical to a good life, but one is incomplete without the other.
There is only one way to self-respect: adherence to a set of standards. A creed. For some people, this comes through a religion, a team, or a culture. For others, it is created.
I most admire those that create their own creed, for several reasons. Number one, it takes thoughtful contemplation to come up with a true set of standards to abide by. Most people would never take the time. Number two, it makes someone unique. There’s something admirable about somebody who won’t break or bend on rules that they only impose on themself.
One of my favorite examples is of John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt. In My First Summer in the Sierra, Muir describes his exploration as a shepherd across the beautiful Yosemite Valley. He could have easily kept it to himself, or staked a claim to have it all for his own. But he knew that this place was special, and it needed to be protected for all to enjoy.
He brought another man of character, Theodore Roosevelt, to see the beauty and importance of the region. Roosevelt could have easily seen the potential for profit, whether it be gold in the rivers, granite in the mountains, or timber in the hills. But he, too, saw something that needed to be protected..
Three years later, Roosevelt signed legislation bringing Yosemite Valley fully under federal protection. They saw importance in something that others may not have. They were no doubt considered fools by some who would have rather seen the area extracted for resources, but Muir and Roosevelt trusted in what they knew to be right.
We all have instances of conviction that we can’t fully justify. Instances where we think something is right or wrong, not because of a rule we can point to, but because of a feeling within us.
That is the forming of a creed. Don’t dismiss it, or cover it up. Take note. When you’re all alone, it’s all you truly have.
The Rub
The flu got me down, almost all week. Life’s had me busy lately between work, and lots of other fun things. Being sick forced me to slow way down, and remember how wonderful a clear deep breath and a restful nights sleep really are.
Provisions
A Read: The Witch of Portobello
This is my third book in a row by Paulo Coehlo. This one, I would have never picked up on my own. Nonetheless, it is a really fun story. Coelho finds yet another way to inspire the spirit of adventure and the pursuit of the journey.
A Listen: Cowboy in Me
Moment From the Road:
Many times, the most memorable trips are the ones that didn’t have a great plan to begin with. I knew I was going skiing. I didn’t know I was digging out a driveway, or changing out a flat tire only to find the spare was flat. But that’s all part of the adventure.
Something to Chew On
What has your gut been telling you that you’ve dismissed as silly or useless, but that is actually important to you? Could it point towards your personal creed?