At what point did we forget how powerful it was to raise future kings?
At what point did we devalue the immense importance of teaching morals and values to those who would one day influence the world?
Over time, somewhere along the beaten path, we began to feel worthless. Weakness and a sense of unimportance became the pit in our soul that was unfillable. Because we did not hold a visible position of power we became driven by the need of recognition, not from the vessels we built, but from people we didn’t even know.
"For some reason the need for others to see our greatness became more important than the nurturing of greatness."
We found a path of selfishness. We followed this path that lead down into the depths. This journey stripped us of compassion, purged our souls of pride and washed away our confidence. The truth of life, the truth of being, became convoluted and murky.
The saddest part, we refused to go on this journey alone. We took with us others who were confused and lost. Anyone who had the smallest speck of doubt – we nourished it. And in those moments when we knew we were sinking, we stood on the shoulders of men, pushing them down further into the muck so that we just might get a glimpse at daylight; just might gasp a breath of clean air to fill our lungs.
But it was a futile effort.
Only there, in the bowels of our journey, when the emptiness could not be filled by anything in the outside world; where the self-seeking need for acceptance and approval was never satisfied, did we weep. A deep seeded, sorrowful, moan compounded by years of anguish. Our bodies racked with sobs and spent from the years of battle, we finally raised our eyes.
We looked up.
Realizing that we had given up all power, all rights to strength, courage and true unselfishness, we stripped off our rags and stepped forward. With each step we gained confidence. With each stride we found security. Along the path we picked up our weapons that had long since been shed. Arming ourselves to go into battle once more. We found our pride, our courage and our integrity. We strapped fear to our backs so it could push us forward and no longer keep us suppressed. We would not and will not cover our scars. Not so others will see, but so we will be reminded that we once faltered.
This time the battle would be fought on our terms. With our skills and with our abilities honed. The sword and shield would protect everything we nourished. We would teach our sons to use their strength not to suppress but to protect anything and everyone within their realm. We would teach our daughters to use their minds and spirits to build the finest cultures. We would remind them both, at every turn, that one cannot succeed without the other. That they need both to form a complete circle strong enough to survive. Arm in arm as warriors, they would stand and protect everything they had built. Their strength would come from inside themselves as well as the combined strength from each other.
Together their power would not be besieged by any one man or any man’s army. Their fortified rebirth of strength would raise not just future kings, but future nations.
