I think TR was right… but then, how does one become the master of one’s soul? There are lots of simplistic, dogmatic answers out there, and I suppose they must work for some. “Be true to yourself.” “Go to church.” “Be compassionate.” “Honor your elders.” All good advice, but hardly the key to mastering one’s own soul, I think. Something tells me it’s a bit more complicated than that.
For myself, taking time out from the world to reflect is helpful. Testing myself with new experiences, and then reflecting on how I behave in those unfamiliar settings can be helpful. Reading the thoughts of great writers, past and present, considering ideas I have never considered before. Sometimes to imagine that the opposite of what I’ve always believed could be true, and questioning who I am from that kind of contrarian viewpoint can be enlightening.
And is a soul something completely personal? If not, then what could be more personal? And yet, are we not who we are in a context, defined by our society and surroundings and, at least in part, defined by that context? Is who we are something pre-determined by our genes and upbringing… or do we have the choice, the ability to create ourselves?
I have no “final answers,” no “key to life” here. However, I suspect–I hope–we can all be who we decide to be, that we can be the creators of our own lives, our own selves. And then, having created ourselves as we wish to be, I hope and pray to have the courage live that life, that personhood, I have chosen to create. That, I think, is the great adventure that life offers.
So… what life will you choose? What will you create? Will you have the courage to live up to your own highest ideals for yourself? I wish you success!
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