Sometimes classic literature really speaks to us. For me, the best example of this was “The Catcher in the Rye” by J. D. Salinger.
I was a sarcastic, snarky, disaffected teen at the time and so much of what I read felt like holding a mirror up in front of myself. I saw so much of myself in the main character, Holden Caulfield, but I didn’t like what I saw.
It left me thinking “If I met myself in the street, would I like that person?” The answer was “No”, so I set out to change, to grow, to better myself.
It made me think of this beautiful quote from Plotinus:
“Withdraw into yourself and look. And if you do not find yourself beautiful yet, act as does the creator of a statue that is to be made beautiful: he cuts away here, he smoothes there, he makes this line lighter, this other purer, until a lovely face has grown upon his work.
Plotinus
So do you also: cut away all that is excessive, straighten all that is crooked, bring light to all that is overcast, labour to make all one glow of beauty and never cease chiselling your statue, until there shall shine out on you from it the godlike splendour of virtue, until you shall see the perfect goodness surely established in the stainless shrine.”
We are free to choose who we wish to become. Seeing what I disliked about myself in Holden Caulfield made me set out to ‘chisel my statue’ in ways that would make me proud of the person I was. It sparked a journey to fill my life with inspiring things, so that I would live an inspired life.
As if that in itself was not a great enough gift that came from reading the book, there later emerged a speech that leaped out of the page and infused my life with meaning and purpose.
You’ll find that you’re not the first person who was ever confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior. You’re by no means alone on that score, you’ll be excited and stimulated to know.
Many, many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are right now. Happily, some of them kept records of their troubles. You’ll learn from them—if you want to.
Just as someday, if you have something to offer, someone will learn something from you. It’s a beautiful reciprocal arrangement. And it isn’t education. It’s history. It’s poetry.
I am continually troubled, fascinated and amazed by the human condition, from the unthinkable lows in our history and behaviour to the incredible highs. By seeking out the writers, philosophers, poets, artists, teachers and everyday people that shine a light on how to live a better life, I have found such incalculable value, inspiration and joy.
I am so grateful for humanity’s ‘beautiful reciprocal arrangement’. I have taken so much from it and would love to give something back to it one day if I can.
Be The Plus 
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