Graceland, Ontario: bravery

Showing posts with label bravery. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

There’s Only ONE Thing that Matters

Helloo0O Ladies and Gentlemen!

Welcome back to Graceland Ontario, your one stop location for success advice from the greats. Today we’re going to talk about dieing for what you believe in… literally.

As many of you know, today is St. George’s Day, the feast in celebration of the man who’s patron saint of more countries and cities than I’m willing to list (England, Georgia and Malta are on there, though). And though he’s most famous for a debatable story about killing a dragon to save a princess, St. George was a real man.

Now, I’ve done a couple of these saint posts (check them out, if you haven’t already: St. Patrick, St. David) but this fella might be one of the harder ones to find information on. He was supposedly a Greek born in Palestine to nobility who ended up as a tribune (second-in-command of the basic Roman military unit, the legion) for Emperor Diocletion after George’s father, also a military officer, and mother passed away.

Everything was looking like lollipops and bubblebaths for George. But there was a problem − Diocletion issued an edict saying all Christian Roman soldiers were to be arrested.

And George was Christian.

Diocletion didn’t want to get George in trouble so he offered gifts to George in the hopes he’d convert.

He didn’t.

Left with no other options, Diocletion had George tortured and decapitated. But, in recognition of his faith and loyalty, fellow Christians made George a martyr.

Now, I’m not suggesting you go out there, contradict people and get yourself executed (yes, I know it’s not too likely anyways). But, what I am saying is bear in mind George’s strength. He couldn’t be tempted by anything, including the promise of life, to do something he didn’t want to do − leave his religion.

Everybody’s unique in some way. And, especially as we get older, most confident people believe their way’s right, even when they don’t really know enough to state an opinion. And, sometimes worse, they want you to change to their way of thinking.

Now, writing this on a self-development blog might seem a bit crazy but you need to realize you’re all that matters! There’s only one person you have to live with and that’s the guy in the mirror. Everyone else, however painful it may be, can be slap-shotted aside.

Though you should seek to learn and be reasonable with others, and while acknowledging there are things you’re ignorant of (keep cool… we all are of something), you need to know what’s important to you, deep down, and stick with it no matter what. George didn’t want to live life without Christianity and was willing to sacrifice himself for that. There are things just as important to you − maybe your family, your work, your business − and you’ve gotta be that loyal to them.

Just because others tell you it’s wrong doesn’t mean a thing.

It is your life you’re living.

Talk to you later!

Alex H.

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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Great Leaders are Hated

Helloo0O Ladies and Gentlemen!

Welcome to Graceland Ontario, your one stop location for success advice from the greats. Today we’re going to talk about standing for what you believe in.

Now, as many of you know, Margaret Thatcher, once Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, passed away yesterday. But, though I will not venture to say whether I liked or disliked her political positions (I doubt whether I have the expertise to say anyways), the news of her death’s struck me rather strangely.

Here we have a woman who was the first female prime minister of the U.K. (and, at present, the only), a woman who led her country for eleven and a half years with an iron fist, who stood tall through a war and tough economic times, who brought her nation to the level of respect it had long since enjoyed in world politics. And what did she get for it?

Some respect… but an equal amount of criticism and hate.

Margaret Thatcher was a true leader. She stood up for her ideals, did what she thought was right, took the bananas as they were thrown at her and ultimately was backstabbed by her own party. Even then she earned herself a baronessies and a comfortable place as a national icon. Yet, I’d say little of what she attained has been acknowledged by the people she led with news of her death, at least in comparison to what you’d think given her accomplishments.

Sometimes we need to do what we think is right. Sure not everyone will agree with us. I might not even agree with everything Thatcher did, but I sure do respect her. Anyone who can take that kind of hammering from those you’re trying to help is worthy of all the esteem they can garner.

Now, contrary to the title of this post, great leaders aren’t hated, not always. But you’ve got to be willing to be hated, willing to be like Margaret Thatcher, the “Iron Lady”. Because she got things done and she got them done her way and she lost no dignity doing so. She was the greatest ally and the most revered enemy. When you need to get things done, she’s the one to model.

Because people without the strength to stand by themselves don’t achieve great levels of success. Sometimes you can be liked or you can do what needs to be done. Successful people choose the latter, however painful it may be.

It’s up to you whether you’re capable of that level of excellence.

Alex H.

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Saturday, March 30, 2013

And That Deserves Respect

Helloo0O Ladies and Gentlemen!

Welcome back to Graceland Ontario, your one stop location for learning from the greats! Today, we’re going to be talking about loyalty to an ideal; we're going to be talking about integrity.

As most of you know, it’s the Easter weekend, when the Christian churches remember Christ’s death and resurrection from the grave. You may not be a Christian - I’m not a strong one myself - but that doesn’t make him any the less an exceptional man that should be learned from. Anyone who’s inspired and influenced the world as much as he has possesses something we can learn from, even if we don’t agree with their message or actions.

Betrayed by the thirteenth apostle, Judas, Christ was put to trial by the Romans. Even when Pontius Pilate, the Roman commander, found him not quilty, the Jewish elders demanded his execution. Christ was crucified on a cross − nailed to a piece of wood to suffocate and dehydrate to death.

But, famously, Christ prays to God in the Bible, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34).

Christ was dedicated to teaching peace, to improving people’s lives. His teachings were intended to revolutionize the life of the people of the time to a better way. Simply because he was sentenced to death by his own people doesn’t mean he hated them. Perhaps he felt them mislead, wrong, maybe even foolish, but he wouldn't hate them. Whatever they’d shown themselves capable of, he had integrity. His teachings proclaimed forgiveness and peace, simply because others went against that didn’t mean he would - even at the end. His integrity, amongst his other exceptinial character traits, was perhaps the strongest. He always kept to what he taught. Whatever, whenever.

That deserves respect.

Sometimes people will do dumb things. God knows why − they just have this sudden urge to make themselves look foolish. They default on their dreams, eat recklessly and spend without caution. And sometimes, they pull you down with them. Sometimes they'll even condemn what you believe deepest in.

But you must remember that you, as an individual, have a choice. You can choose to throw away all your learning, all your progress, and regress to the level of an animal, angry and seeking revenge. Or you can stand tall and take it. I’m not saying it’s easy − I’m sure it wasn’t for Christ either, getting nails wrought through the flesh of his palms − but you notice something? All these millennia later, people remember the way Christ died. They remember the stand he made, despite his terrifying situation.

And, in keeping to his teachings to the last, in holding his integrity, it makes him and his message all the more worthy and well-respected in legacy as they were in life − perhaps more so.

Have a great Easter, if you celebrate, and otherwise enjoy your weekend!

Alex H.

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