Timshel

I feel like I have a renewed appreciation for humanity lately. People are just so magnificent. The fact that we get to live our lives as we choose and so often people choose to live a life that I think God would have us live--to be inspiring and share ourselves. 

I was talking to Shelby about this (visit her blog here, I know you won't regret it), and she reminded me of this quote on the meaning of the word Timshel from East of Eden, by John Steinbeck:

"I have a new love for that glittering instrument, the human soul. It is a lovely and unique thing in the universe. It is always attacked and never destroyed— because ‘Thou mayest.’"

The band, Mumford & Sons, so beautifully depicts a picture of someone who understands the meaning of Timshel. That "thou mayest" do as you choose, not one person determines your own destiny and to support those around us in what they choose.

Cold is the water
It freezes your already cold mind
Already cold, cold mind
And death is at your doorstep
And it will steal your innocence
But it will not steal your substance


But you are not alone in this
And you are the mother
And these are what make man great
His ladder to the stars


And you are not alone in this
As brothers we will stand and we'll hold your hand
Hold your hand

The mother of your baby child
The one to whom you gave life
And you have your choices
But you are not alone in this
And you are not alone in this
As brothers we will stand and we'll hold your hand
Hold your hand

And I will tell the night Whisper, "Lose your sight"
But I can't move the mountains for you

[Just a side note that goes along with this post: when our friends are going through a hard time, "{we} can't move the mountains for {them}" but we can "hold {their} hand."  Again, well said. Marcus (as in Marcus Mumford this time.)]

I read a quote that was along the lines of: "Often we think there are only a few people that are actual geniuses, when really, there's a genius inside all of us that we can tap in to." And I think it's the same with inspiration. It is inside each of us to be inspirational, and we may or may not tap into it, but we can by sharing our talents and spiritual gifts.

Here's the connection between Timshel and the inspiration found in human souls: we all have our agency, we are "things to act, not be acted upon," which makes us all truly inspirational beings.