Skip to main content

Success vs. Greatness

Tonight Matt and I had the pleasure of attending Cornel West's lecture at Weber State University. First, WOW! Listening to Cornel West speak was inspiring. However, I'm not so sure it was his words that always did the inspiring. It was more his rhythym and cadence. I imagine the speech we heard tonight to be what it might have been like to hear the great Martin Luther King, Jr. opine on the mall in Washington DC. These Southern ministers are something else. Both were such powerful orators.

Cornel is gifted with words. And while his elocution was beautiful to behold, I was a bit disappointed at his pessimism. Additionally, I found much of what he said to be like "tinkling brass and sounding cymbals" for he made much thunderous sound in the name of poverty and injustice, but he never once proffered any solutions. Tis easy to find what's wrong. Tis much harder--and so much more inspiriting-- to outline how to make it right.

But I do have to give him props for his poetic pontifications. I especially liked his thoughts on the difference between greatness and success. Milly Vanilli was successful. They won 2 Grammys. But, DUDE, they were lip syncing! Not necessarily great, you know? Aretha Franklin, now she was great!

We should aspire to greatness for success is subjective and superficial. Great souls live great and they die great. Character, courage, and compassion are their legacies. So what type of human being do you want to be?

Cornel, I appreciated your performance tonight. It taught me two things. One, I want my words to move people because they are true and not just because they are passionate delivered. Second, I want to be great more than I want to be successful.

Finally, I don't want to only be aware of poverty, racism, prejudice, and injustice. I want to do something about it. I do not want to be--in the words of Cornel West--"A successful person,well adjusted to injustice."

I trust Spirit will show me how I can assist those in need of assistance so that I don't live a privileged life of indifference.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Holy Treason

I don’t know if you’re like me or not, but I was born into the one and only “true” religion of God. I spent my entire life studying and living the principles and teachings of my faith. I knew the doctrine, and I believed it to be true. Until I didn’t. The road to the unraveling of my faith is a rather long one—definitely another article for another day--but suffice it to say, I began studying other religions and realized that all of them contained beautiful truths. I felt as uplifted and inspired while reading their scriptures as I did reading mine. I understood why some referred to religion as a “faith culture” for I was now aware that had I been born and raised in a different religion, I’d have believed that religious tradition to be true. I came to see religions as merely vehicles leading us back to God. Surely God didn’t care whether his children drove jalopies or Jaguars so long as they were moving along the superhighway back to Him. Or could it be her? Or perhaps there wasn’t ju

Relationships

I've been thinking a bit about relationships. I'm seeing them differently than I've ever seen them before. First, I realize that relationships are created in our minds. What we think about our relationships defines them. If I think my daughter is ungrateful, I will see ingratitude in all her actions. If I tell myself my coworker is annoying, I will find him extremely so.  And so it goes. What we think about others creates how we relate to them. So why not think happy, positive, loving thoughts about the people we relate with? We absolutely have the power to create amazing relationships by changing the way we think about our relations. Second, I've been thinking about the importance of loving the people in our life for who they are, not for what we need them to be. People need freedom to be who they want to be. If you love someone, you don't try to change them. That isn't love. Love is accepting someone for who they are and where they are right now. Love know

His Light Lives On

Page told me during breakfast this morning that President Thomas S. Monson passed away last night. The realization that a great soul had left this mortal life washed over me. I wanted to pay tribute to him today so I decided I would take his framed picture with me to work and set it aside a lighted candle. It would be my way to acknowledge the illuminating affect he has had in my life and the life of so many others, as well as signify that his light lives on. Here's how it looked:   I moved him throughout the day so that I could always see him. I also spent some time reading some of his most beloved quotes. I felt his presence and my love for his great soul increased. Some of the quotes I shared with others throughout the day include: Decisions determine destiny Your future is as bright as your faith   Search inward. Reach outward. Look heavenward Never postpone a prompting We can't direct the wind but we can adjust the sails It's always bet