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Dear KindHearts… today’s story was sent in by an anonymous reader. I read it with interest as it literally begins with a murder. Yes, a murder. But it also tells a historical tale of redemption and resolve, one that we can translate into our own lives. Perhaps you didn’t know that President George Washington and Don Quixote shared something. When you finish this story you will know what it was… and what you can do to share it as well.
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On his first military campaign, George Washington made a terrible mistake. The American colonies had not yet rebelled — that was 20 years down the road. Washington was working for Britain, which was in a “cold war” with France. The two countries were tussling with each other for territory all over the world, including the area near Virginia. One day Washington and his troops spotted a party of French camping in their territory, and attacked them, killing ten men and capturing the rest.
He shot first and asked questions later. He found out it was a diplomatic party, and one of the men he killed was an important French ambassador. Washington had made a big mistake. The two major military powers of that time ended their cold war and entered a hot war.
Imagine, for the moment, that you were Washington, and you made that mistake. What would you tell yourself about it? How would the mistake fit into the overall pattern of your life?
In other words: What kind of story do you live in? Where do you think you come from and where do you think you’re going?
You live by a story. Have you ever thought of it that way? Each of us has a story, and we are the main character in that story. If I interviewed you for a couple of weeks, I could probably piece together a coherent story that you live by even if youve never really thought about it yourself. Its your life story and it is the meaning of your life.
For example, one story Washington could have told himself was: “I am destined for failure.” His father died young, his mother was a nag. Compared to his contemporaries, he was poor. Killing the French ambassador could have been a final straw. He might have concluded that he wasnt cut out for military work and given up, climbed inside a bottle and we might never have heard of him.
Thats one story. Thats one context within which he could have lived his life. And do you see that the story leads to certain feelings and certain actions consistent with the story?
Heres another possibility: He could have thought he was destined to make his mark in the world, and that his mistake was the most important lesson he was ever to learn. “Divine Providence,” he could have told himself, “is preparing me for a great task. I must learn all I can from this mistake for it may affect the future of the world.”
Do you think he would feel differently about the circumstances of his life with this story? Of course he would. Same circumstances, different story. But the heroic story would make him learn important military lessons from his mistake and it would help him persist and endure hardships that would collapse a weaker person. The story would give him strength.
Judging by the letters he wrote home, the story he lived by was a lot more like this second one than the first one. And because he lived by that more inspiring story, he persisted and he learned and he did make a difference.
Man of La Mancha, a musical made in 1972, is based on the story Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. Its an entertaining story, but its also profound.
Don Quixote sees the world as a quest, as an adventure, and he sees a poor kitchen maid as a lady of unsurpassed beauty and chastity. He dreams the impossible dream, he fights the unbeatable foe, he looks at life as a challenge to do good in the face of evil and make the world a better place. He wants to dedicate his victories to the kitchen maid, his Lady.
She is bitter about life, full of anger.
“Why do you do these things?” she asks him.
“What things?”
She bursts out in frustration, “Its ridiculous, the things you do!”
He answers simply, “I come in a world of iron to make a world of gold.”
“The worlds a dung heap,” she says, “and we are maggots that crawl on it.”
Two different stories, same objective reality. Yet one lives in a life of nobility and beauty and adventure, and the other lives in filth and misery and hatred.
What kind of story do you live? Is it heroic? Or is it weak? Do you have a sense of destiny? Or do you have a sense of emptiness? What do you think is your destiny? The destiny of Earth? The destiny of the human race? The story you tell yourself — the myth within which you live your life — strongly affects your feelings and the ultimate outcome of your life. And it can change. You can change it deliberately.
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7 Comments
Nena Drummer
Most people do live in their past and think that — that determines their future, but it doesn’t, our attitude is what determines what will happen. If you think you will be nothing then you will be, but if you think all is possible then nothing is impossible for you to do.
21 Jul 2010 12:07 pm
Emma Dumas
I always believe that attitude makes the difference and we are what we think. All power is from within, it is under our control through our thinking.
21 Jul 2010 01:07 pm
Jessica Pozzato
I love this I just posted to my profile!!!
21 Jul 2010 01:07 pm
Kimba Nichols
I just posted this to my profile as well. I just realized why I live a magical life. It is because I CHOOSE a magical life. I see miracles all around me and lessons to be learned from mistakes I’ve made and it ALWAYS works out for the best for myself and all involved. I choose to be chosen!
21 Jul 2010 03:07 pm
Pinkee
Thank you for this comparable story. I agree attitude is a large part, but not everything. We are told God looks at the heart, judges the heart and accepts by the heart. He even softens/hardens the heart. From a world standard George Washington appears to have been a success. Don Quixote may be viewed as either a fool or a character who was very unrealistic. There is a third personality we can draw comparisons from. Jesus Christ. Had He used George Washington’s confidence, Jesus could have ended as a wealthy carpenter in Nazareth with wife, children and granchildren. Like Don Quixote He could have been an outstanding rabbi in His coimmunity revered by all who listened to His teachings at Temple encouraged by His life outlook. However Jesus became a victim, scorned, persecuted, rejected, tortured, hung on a hewn tree, left to die and buried in a tomb. Not exactly the confident man of success, first leader of his people, nor a dreamer of utopias, where everything was wonderful all the time, if one just had a slight attitude adjustment. No Christ’s goal was much more inclusive and removed. As Colossians 3:2 teaches we are to set our minds on the things that are above and not on the things that are of the earth. Blessings to all.
22 Jul 2010 11:07 am
kapil
i find both the stories half finished. what do u want to say in simple words is the moral of the stories? and please leave GOD out of it!
22 Jul 2010 05:07 pm
shyam sunder sharma
Yes attitude plays a definite role in our success. Positive attitude to take constructive action differentiates between succes and failure.
Wishing you good luck for your future
24 Jul 2010 03:07 am