Hold Fast Your Peculiarity (But Don't Be Repugnant)
31. Every one ought to hold fast, not their faults, but their peculiarities....
We ought, indeed, to act in such a way as shall be in no respect repugnant to our common human nature; yet, holding this sacred, let us follow our individual nature, so that, if there are other pursuits in themselves more important and excellent, we yet may measure our own pursuits by the standard of our own nature.
For it is of no avail to resist nature, or to pursue anything which we cannot reach.--From Cicero, De Officiis (On Moral Duties)
(That's me on my old orange rotary-dial phone, which I regret not holding fast to. (I gave it away.))
Here's to peculiarity.
ReplyDeleteNice orange phone.
I so needed this encouragement for the project I've begun this summer. Thanks! I'll print it out and put it by my desk. When we talk next, remind me to tell you about this project and the ways it has presented itself.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am loving your armor project updates!
Oh, yeah! Everyone be peculiar and queer! As a child, I loved and embraced the word queer. I thought it was just a cool sounding way to say weird, eccentric, peculiar . I got scolded for using queer (to describe myself)... without ever being told why. It became my secret, private word--and I grew up wanting to embrace it (even back when the gay community was flinching away from it). Let's all be weird together!
ReplyDelete