There are many things we need in order to be knightly, not only now, but in the past and future as well. There is a code of conduct, there's how we think of ourselves and others, etc. But, without discipline, these things are all merely words. The only thing separating words from action is the discipline to carry them out.
We've all been in the situation where there was something we knew we should do, but didn't want to. It was important to do, it was necessary, it was right, but it wasn't fun or enjoyable. There was something about it we didn't like, and so we tried to get out of it. Procrastination, avoidance, refusal, the list goes on. Often, the task could have been done and over in the time we spend trying to avoid doing the task.
Many might say that the person who is avoiding the task is being lazy, cowardly, or difficult. While these might be true to some small degree, many culprit is lacking in one thing, self-control. This is the same lack of control that leads to someone playing games instead of doing homework as a kid, or not doing a chore when they would prefer to hang out with friends. Now, more than ever, the impulse control to do what is fun rather than what needs to be done is worse than ever. I don't mean this as a generational thing, I mean this individually. As life progresses for each of us, the pull to be more child like, without the responsibilities, calls to each of us more and more the further we get from the age when we were children.
The most important things to know about discipline, or self-control, is that it is a trainable skill, and it is also a diminish-able skill. By exercising control over ourselves, in many different aspects, we prepare ourselves for times when things get out of hand. The person who has worked on controlling their emotions, for example, can react to an emergency situation with a cool and calm mindset, rather than panicking. The person who can keep themselves from playing till after their work is done can then play guilt free, knowing that they accomplished the necessary tasks first. The person, trying to get in shape, that can limit their intake of junk food, is more successful.
Overall, self control is a form of discipline that shows through when times are tough. The more it is practiced in little ways, the easier it is to use the skill when needed.
Friday, May 26, 2017
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Book Review: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
The great thing about chivalry and knightly thought is that it can pull from so many sources. From anywhere in the world, any time in the world, there are people and works that exemplify what it means to be chivalrous. Sometimes, the best way to learn for the future is to look far into the past, and that is why I recommend Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations"
To understand some of why this book is such a good reference, it is important to know some about the man himself. Marcus Aurelius was born AD121, and served as the Roman Emperor until his death of natural causes in AD180. Note that it was natural causes. Many of the Roman Emperors were assassinated by their successors, and he is one of the few to live till he died on his own. While he was challenged for authority in his time, the challenger was so disliked that he was murdered by his own soldiers before the battle could even happen. Well liked and revered by his people, he was known as the last of the Good Emperors of Rome.
During his life, Marcus compiled a series of books. He never wrote these books as anything more than a personal guidebook. These books later became his "Meditations" after his death and were published as a work of his ideas and philosophy. The philosophy is based on the views of Stoicism, which is the view that the path to a moral and good life was reached by logic, restraint of emotions (especially negative ones), and careful observation of the world around us.
This collection is not a quick read by any means. it is a collection of 12 books, some as short as a few pages, but some substatially more. But it isn't the length of the books that make it a heavy hitter, it's the content. As a collection of philosophical thoughts, every idea connects to all the others. Some ideas are expressed as a single sentence, some as multiple paragraphs. Sometimes, the same idea is rewritten in another viewpoint to get it across, or emphasize it again.
One of the most central themes through every book is one's judgement of the self, especially as it pertains to the perspective of the universe. By stripping away the ego and opinions of the person, and finding their place in the universe, a person can see the role they play in nature, which shows a perfect example of how people should behave.
Along with this, he advocates discipline of focus and morality as to the success of personal fulfillment. One of the best known quotes from this work, in book 5, is "Put an end to the discussion of what a good man should do, and just be one" By not allowing distractions, such as losing control of emotions or indulgence of the senses, a person can see the more clearly how to live in a moral lifestyle, elevated above what is deemed "good" or "bad"
I, every I've read and re-read this book many times, through many different formats. Listening to the audio version on long car rides, reading a page or two every night and reflecting on it as I go to sleep. It will take quite a while to get through, and sometimes that is because a simple one sentence concept will permeate its way to needing a day or two to finish sinking in. It is a great read for anyone that needs a guidebook, from self help and self motivation, to feeling like you are on the wrong path or needing a centering tool. I recommend this book for anyone and everyone interested in
To understand some of why this book is such a good reference, it is important to know some about the man himself. Marcus Aurelius was born AD121, and served as the Roman Emperor until his death of natural causes in AD180. Note that it was natural causes. Many of the Roman Emperors were assassinated by their successors, and he is one of the few to live till he died on his own. While he was challenged for authority in his time, the challenger was so disliked that he was murdered by his own soldiers before the battle could even happen. Well liked and revered by his people, he was known as the last of the Good Emperors of Rome.
During his life, Marcus compiled a series of books. He never wrote these books as anything more than a personal guidebook. These books later became his "Meditations" after his death and were published as a work of his ideas and philosophy. The philosophy is based on the views of Stoicism, which is the view that the path to a moral and good life was reached by logic, restraint of emotions (especially negative ones), and careful observation of the world around us.
This collection is not a quick read by any means. it is a collection of 12 books, some as short as a few pages, but some substatially more. But it isn't the length of the books that make it a heavy hitter, it's the content. As a collection of philosophical thoughts, every idea connects to all the others. Some ideas are expressed as a single sentence, some as multiple paragraphs. Sometimes, the same idea is rewritten in another viewpoint to get it across, or emphasize it again.
One of the most central themes through every book is one's judgement of the self, especially as it pertains to the perspective of the universe. By stripping away the ego and opinions of the person, and finding their place in the universe, a person can see the role they play in nature, which shows a perfect example of how people should behave.
Along with this, he advocates discipline of focus and morality as to the success of personal fulfillment. One of the best known quotes from this work, in book 5, is "Put an end to the discussion of what a good man should do, and just be one" By not allowing distractions, such as losing control of emotions or indulgence of the senses, a person can see the more clearly how to live in a moral lifestyle, elevated above what is deemed "good" or "bad"
I, every I've read and re-read this book many times, through many different formats. Listening to the audio version on long car rides, reading a page or two every night and reflecting on it as I go to sleep. It will take quite a while to get through, and sometimes that is because a simple one sentence concept will permeate its way to needing a day or two to finish sinking in. It is a great read for anyone that needs a guidebook, from self help and self motivation, to feeling like you are on the wrong path or needing a centering tool. I recommend this book for anyone and everyone interested in
Monday, March 6, 2017
Prowess: The first virtue
It is impossible to talk about chivalry without mentioning prowess. In all but modern chivalry, it was a basic requirement for knighthood. It was one of the core requirements for being a knight, and without chivalry loses it's origin.
Prowess is, first and foremost, defined as bravery or courage by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. The secondary definition is a great skill or ability. These two parts of the definition have a lot of interplay. Without one, the other is greatly diminished in it's efficiency. Without courage, the skill gets unused. Without skill, courage has no way to proceed. In many ways, prowess means the courage and means to act on it. But each part of the definition takes with it some careful consideration.
Courage is something that takes a lot of forethought to understand. Many people think of courage as simply doing something without fear. That isn't courage, it's blind stupidity. Fear is there for a reason, to keep you safe from dangers. It's a built in defense mechanism to preserve yourself, and without it you wouldn't have made it this far.
Courage, simply put, is the ability to overcome your fears. To feel afraid, but let your own will and determination keep you moving forward. Being afraid means you've recognize and acknowledge dangers, but you don't let them control you. It takes a lot of thinking and consideration to recognize what makes you afraid, and what the dangers are. Barging in head on without recognizing dangers leaves you vulnerable to dangers you don't see or consider.
Courage also means the ability to do what must be done for the good of others. Sometimes it means doing things we don't want to do, for whatever reason. Even if it's boring, unglamorous, difficult, or just something we don't like doing. If it's what should be done, then it's worth doing. Frequently this means you might end up in situations you don't want to be in, but need to put your own desires away and help others.
Just as important as courage is skill. For the medieval knight, this meant skill at arms. Without this, entering a battle doesn't matter as the knight would die in mere moments. It was skill that kept him alive once he was brave enough to step on the field.
For the modern world, this doesn't mean that we all need to learn to use swords and axes, nor does it mean you have to become a martial arts master or sharpshooter. It means you do need to be able to defend yourself and others. In many ways, not just knowing how, but being in a physical condition to be able to do so. If you know how to defend someone, but are too out of shape to do so, it does no good. Conversely, if you are in a physical condition enough to help, but don't know what you're doing, you can do more harm than good. Knowledge of what to do is just as important.
For skill, regardless of innate ability, everyone needs a tutor of some sort. Someone that can reinforce fundamental skills, correct errors with an outside eye before they become too ingrained, and
can teach the next step. More than that, a tutor can teach many things that have nothing to do with the phyisical act of prowess. Many tutors will teach the philosophical and emotional sides of chivalry, which are equally important to prowess.
One of the chief reasons for a tutor is the ability to program the correct initial reflex. Reflexes can be trained to some degree. The problem with reflexes is that, when in a stress situation, we will always revert to the first way we learned it. If the response we first learned was flawed for some reason, in a crisis, we will revert to the flawed response. This could be just as dangerous as not knowing what to do. This is why a tutor or teacher is very important. Whether a structured or casual relationship, having someone knowledgeable that you can learn from is an invaluable resource.
In the modern world, hopefully there aren't that many times our personal prowess will be tested. Being able to respond in such a way to protect others and ourselves is crucial to make the world a better place.
"Ability is God given, but prowess is earned" John Harbaugh
Prowess is, first and foremost, defined as bravery or courage by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. The secondary definition is a great skill or ability. These two parts of the definition have a lot of interplay. Without one, the other is greatly diminished in it's efficiency. Without courage, the skill gets unused. Without skill, courage has no way to proceed. In many ways, prowess means the courage and means to act on it. But each part of the definition takes with it some careful consideration.
Courage is something that takes a lot of forethought to understand. Many people think of courage as simply doing something without fear. That isn't courage, it's blind stupidity. Fear is there for a reason, to keep you safe from dangers. It's a built in defense mechanism to preserve yourself, and without it you wouldn't have made it this far.
Courage, simply put, is the ability to overcome your fears. To feel afraid, but let your own will and determination keep you moving forward. Being afraid means you've recognize and acknowledge dangers, but you don't let them control you. It takes a lot of thinking and consideration to recognize what makes you afraid, and what the dangers are. Barging in head on without recognizing dangers leaves you vulnerable to dangers you don't see or consider.
Courage also means the ability to do what must be done for the good of others. Sometimes it means doing things we don't want to do, for whatever reason. Even if it's boring, unglamorous, difficult, or just something we don't like doing. If it's what should be done, then it's worth doing. Frequently this means you might end up in situations you don't want to be in, but need to put your own desires away and help others.
Just as important as courage is skill. For the medieval knight, this meant skill at arms. Without this, entering a battle doesn't matter as the knight would die in mere moments. It was skill that kept him alive once he was brave enough to step on the field.
For the modern world, this doesn't mean that we all need to learn to use swords and axes, nor does it mean you have to become a martial arts master or sharpshooter. It means you do need to be able to defend yourself and others. In many ways, not just knowing how, but being in a physical condition to be able to do so. If you know how to defend someone, but are too out of shape to do so, it does no good. Conversely, if you are in a physical condition enough to help, but don't know what you're doing, you can do more harm than good. Knowledge of what to do is just as important.
For skill, regardless of innate ability, everyone needs a tutor of some sort. Someone that can reinforce fundamental skills, correct errors with an outside eye before they become too ingrained, and
can teach the next step. More than that, a tutor can teach many things that have nothing to do with the phyisical act of prowess. Many tutors will teach the philosophical and emotional sides of chivalry, which are equally important to prowess.
One of the chief reasons for a tutor is the ability to program the correct initial reflex. Reflexes can be trained to some degree. The problem with reflexes is that, when in a stress situation, we will always revert to the first way we learned it. If the response we first learned was flawed for some reason, in a crisis, we will revert to the flawed response. This could be just as dangerous as not knowing what to do. This is why a tutor or teacher is very important. Whether a structured or casual relationship, having someone knowledgeable that you can learn from is an invaluable resource.
In the modern world, hopefully there aren't that many times our personal prowess will be tested. Being able to respond in such a way to protect others and ourselves is crucial to make the world a better place.
"Ability is God given, but prowess is earned" John Harbaugh
Saturday, March 4, 2017
The Nine Worthies
It is sometimes sad how little we in the modern age study the long distant past. Many of us will have studied in depth back as far as the Second World War, a good deal of us knowledgeable about the First World War, but beyond that it becomes alarming sparse. Many won't have learned anything before that beyond what they learned in primary school, and even that was just to pass the class. We don't study beyond what little we already know of the past, and as history has shown, our knowledge of the knightly class has been skewed by the Victorian Era, rewriting the history to better reflect on how they wanted the world to be. But, that doesn't mean that we should discard all their notions of it outright.
In some aspects, it's impossible to remove the romantic side of chivalry anymore without doing it harm. If true chivalry exists between the extremes of the brutal warrior and the gentile poet, then there must be parts of it that come from each. Complete removal of the historic side for the romantic shows the knight to be unable to perform the crucial function knights were created for, prowess. Conversely, showing knights as only warriors on horseback does them an equal disservice, that of making them seem nothing more than blood thirsty. They were people that had to learn to find the middle ground, and had their own lessons. The great thing is, the writers of the day felt it important enough to record chivalric virtures. We even have examples of what they thought of chivalry, and who they used as the archetypes themselves.
One well known work from such times is "The Nine Worthies." Written in 1312 by Jacques de Longuyon, it is part of a bigger piece called "Voeux de Paon" (The Vows of the Peacock). A popular song of great deeds, it can be used as a framework to understand how people thought of knights even in the 14th century, when chivalry was in its heyday.
In the work, Jacques has three groups of three men. The groups are divided by the religion/time of each. Each of these men exemplifies a different aspect of chivalry, though no one person has all of them. From the Pagan world, There is Alexander the Great, Hector of Troy, and Julius Caesar. From the Jewish realm, there is Joshua, David, and Judas Maccabeus. From Christianity, there is King Arthur, Charlemagne, and Godfrey de Bouillon.
From this list, there are many things about these men that are patterns. Except for one, Hector, all were conquerors. All existed in a time before high chivalry. All were honorable and brought victory to their Nations. All were either royalty or from noble birth. And, except for one or two, all are so timeless that we know of them to this day without much searching.
As stated previously, each person named in the work were a great example of what it meant to be a knight in the 14th century. Some of the figures are easy to understand what virtue they represent, and most have multiple aspects. Julius Caesar, for example, was a great advocate for discipline, while Alexander was known for his generosity. Judas Maccabeus was known for his steadfastness of faith through some of the most trying times, never wavering. Charlemagne was known for his wisdom, prizing knowledge and even learning to read, and encouraging the same in others.
The remaining "worthies" are equally as important,and it is worth learning about these men to understand what it truly means to be chivalrous, as it was then and should be now. They can teach us a lot of what it means to be knightly at all times, not just when we think others are watching us.
Like Vaughn Ripley said, "Chivalry isn't just a fancy word with a neat meaning; it's a way of life"
In some aspects, it's impossible to remove the romantic side of chivalry anymore without doing it harm. If true chivalry exists between the extremes of the brutal warrior and the gentile poet, then there must be parts of it that come from each. Complete removal of the historic side for the romantic shows the knight to be unable to perform the crucial function knights were created for, prowess. Conversely, showing knights as only warriors on horseback does them an equal disservice, that of making them seem nothing more than blood thirsty. They were people that had to learn to find the middle ground, and had their own lessons. The great thing is, the writers of the day felt it important enough to record chivalric virtures. We even have examples of what they thought of chivalry, and who they used as the archetypes themselves.
One well known work from such times is "The Nine Worthies." Written in 1312 by Jacques de Longuyon, it is part of a bigger piece called "Voeux de Paon" (The Vows of the Peacock). A popular song of great deeds, it can be used as a framework to understand how people thought of knights even in the 14th century, when chivalry was in its heyday.
In the work, Jacques has three groups of three men. The groups are divided by the religion/time of each. Each of these men exemplifies a different aspect of chivalry, though no one person has all of them. From the Pagan world, There is Alexander the Great, Hector of Troy, and Julius Caesar. From the Jewish realm, there is Joshua, David, and Judas Maccabeus. From Christianity, there is King Arthur, Charlemagne, and Godfrey de Bouillon.
From this list, there are many things about these men that are patterns. Except for one, Hector, all were conquerors. All existed in a time before high chivalry. All were honorable and brought victory to their Nations. All were either royalty or from noble birth. And, except for one or two, all are so timeless that we know of them to this day without much searching.
As stated previously, each person named in the work were a great example of what it meant to be a knight in the 14th century. Some of the figures are easy to understand what virtue they represent, and most have multiple aspects. Julius Caesar, for example, was a great advocate for discipline, while Alexander was known for his generosity. Judas Maccabeus was known for his steadfastness of faith through some of the most trying times, never wavering. Charlemagne was known for his wisdom, prizing knowledge and even learning to read, and encouraging the same in others.
The remaining "worthies" are equally as important,and it is worth learning about these men to understand what it truly means to be chivalrous, as it was then and should be now. They can teach us a lot of what it means to be knightly at all times, not just when we think others are watching us.
Like Vaughn Ripley said, "Chivalry isn't just a fancy word with a neat meaning; it's a way of life"
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Maybe never a Knight, but always knightly
Let's face it, many of us will never truly be knights. Unless you live in a country where being knighted is still a possibility, it's not going to happen.
Knighthood can be the same. Medieval knighthood was something less than 2% of the population was ever granted. There were many criteria that a person had to fit into before even being considered. It was only open to men of wealth and good class (nobility and such) and even then the candidate had to be trained and proficient in combat. No one was granted knighthood that couldn't tick all the boxes, and most of them were simply out of a persons reach for reasons they had no control over.
With this in mind, I say, don't strive to be a knight, strive to be knightly. The title of "Sir" comes with it a certain amount of responsibility, and it's something that you never get a break from.
I'm an Eagle Scout, and during the ceremony I received it, I was reminded of this same responsibility. The told me that I was now the example, and representative, of every Eagle Scout that was, is, and will be. My actions reflect on them, theirs on me. Every good deed I did, that's being an Eagle Scout. Along with that, every misdeed I did, I was telling the world the same thing: that's being an Eagle Scout. At some point, I would be the first Eagle Scout someone would ever meet, and how I acted would tell that person that I was acting the way Eagle Scouts act.
This can be a heavy burden, but it's one I was prepared for. I had spent a long time learning about what it meant to be that way, and worked on myself for that. If I didn't ever get the rank, I could at least have taken comfort in the fact that I would hold myself to that standard. During my review board, I was told they had to stop asking me questions because I was continually confirming that I already was an Eagle Scout, and that all I needed was them to give me the rank I had already earned.
While most of us will never become a knight in the eyes of the world, we can at least strive towards the ideals that it invokes. Acting in a knightly manner doesn't mean trying to convince people you are a knight, nor does it mean acting like people are beneath you. As a previous post showed, acting like a knight means you're there for others before yourself.
So be knightly, regardless of any title it may or may not ever give you
Knighthood can be the same. Medieval knighthood was something less than 2% of the population was ever granted. There were many criteria that a person had to fit into before even being considered. It was only open to men of wealth and good class (nobility and such) and even then the candidate had to be trained and proficient in combat. No one was granted knighthood that couldn't tick all the boxes, and most of them were simply out of a persons reach for reasons they had no control over.
With this in mind, I say, don't strive to be a knight, strive to be knightly. The title of "Sir" comes with it a certain amount of responsibility, and it's something that you never get a break from.
I'm an Eagle Scout, and during the ceremony I received it, I was reminded of this same responsibility. The told me that I was now the example, and representative, of every Eagle Scout that was, is, and will be. My actions reflect on them, theirs on me. Every good deed I did, that's being an Eagle Scout. Along with that, every misdeed I did, I was telling the world the same thing: that's being an Eagle Scout. At some point, I would be the first Eagle Scout someone would ever meet, and how I acted would tell that person that I was acting the way Eagle Scouts act.
This can be a heavy burden, but it's one I was prepared for. I had spent a long time learning about what it meant to be that way, and worked on myself for that. If I didn't ever get the rank, I could at least have taken comfort in the fact that I would hold myself to that standard. During my review board, I was told they had to stop asking me questions because I was continually confirming that I already was an Eagle Scout, and that all I needed was them to give me the rank I had already earned.
While most of us will never become a knight in the eyes of the world, we can at least strive towards the ideals that it invokes. Acting in a knightly manner doesn't mean trying to convince people you are a knight, nor does it mean acting like people are beneath you. As a previous post showed, acting like a knight means you're there for others before yourself.
So be knightly, regardless of any title it may or may not ever give you
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Books Review: "Rules for a Knight"
One of the things I hope to do on this blog is to review books that deal with the issue of chivalry and knighthood, focusing on the message the books provide and how they can help with being more knightly in everyday life.
First on this list is a book I randomly got about a year ago, entitled "Rules for a Knight." The book is written by the actor and writer Ethan Hawke, and was written as a guide book for behavior for his children. Under the guise of a found manuscript by an acestor who, on his way to a battle he didn't think he would survive, wrote this book for his children then as a way to teach them to be good people when they grow and he wasn't there.
Each chapter is preceded by the subject of the chapter, ranging from Humility to Pride, Solitude and friendship. After a quick piece of advice about the subject, suggesting how to view the world through that word. Then, the rest of the short chapter is the ancestor telling a story of when he himself was in training from his Grandfather, a man knighted after Agincourt. The story always deals with the subject of the chapter through these stories.
Most of the stories are new to me, but there are a few that I had heard from other cultures and places before. They all do a good job of exemplifying the subject of the chapter, concluding with the "author" giving another summary in new words to the subject of the chapter.
Overall, this book is a great guide for anyone, age 5 to 55, on lessons and musing about living a worthwhile and happy life. I can honestly say it has helped me a few times to see things in a different light. As stated above, I was randomly waiting in a book store while my wife was searching for books as Christmas presents for people, and the simple cover and letters of this small book caught my eye. It wasn't expensive at all, and I soon found myself engrossed in it.
This would be a good book to read the 3-5 page chapters to a small child every night, or as something to just read a chapter here or there as a reminder as an adult. Some especially poignant chapters to me were the ones about Solitude, Humility, Grace and Speech.
I hope you find it the same as I did.
First on this list is a book I randomly got about a year ago, entitled "Rules for a Knight." The book is written by the actor and writer Ethan Hawke, and was written as a guide book for behavior for his children. Under the guise of a found manuscript by an acestor who, on his way to a battle he didn't think he would survive, wrote this book for his children then as a way to teach them to be good people when they grow and he wasn't there.
Each chapter is preceded by the subject of the chapter, ranging from Humility to Pride, Solitude and friendship. After a quick piece of advice about the subject, suggesting how to view the world through that word. Then, the rest of the short chapter is the ancestor telling a story of when he himself was in training from his Grandfather, a man knighted after Agincourt. The story always deals with the subject of the chapter through these stories.
Most of the stories are new to me, but there are a few that I had heard from other cultures and places before. They all do a good job of exemplifying the subject of the chapter, concluding with the "author" giving another summary in new words to the subject of the chapter.
Overall, this book is a great guide for anyone, age 5 to 55, on lessons and musing about living a worthwhile and happy life. I can honestly say it has helped me a few times to see things in a different light. As stated above, I was randomly waiting in a book store while my wife was searching for books as Christmas presents for people, and the simple cover and letters of this small book caught my eye. It wasn't expensive at all, and I soon found myself engrossed in it.
This would be a good book to read the 3-5 page chapters to a small child every night, or as something to just read a chapter here or there as a reminder as an adult. Some especially poignant chapters to me were the ones about Solitude, Humility, Grace and Speech.
I hope you find it the same as I did.
To be a knight, you must serve
To be a true knight, you must be willing to help others. It was there at the origin, and continues through to today
The origin of the word knight comes from the old english work cniht. This word traslates to servant or boy, meaning that a knight was a servant. Just like the minstrels or famers. It didn't refer to only fighting men. Wasn't even directed towards someone with a horse, like the French word "Chivalry." It wasn't till the 12th century that it meant a servant in the militant area.
When it comes down to it, a knight is a servant in that they serve in battle for their lord or employer. The idea that they fight as service isn't unique to Europe, either. In Japan, the word "Samurai" translates to the exact same word: "Servant." In that culture, they started as archers, and evolved to the principal warrior class, just like knights. And these two cultures were on opposite ends of the Earth at the same time, with virtually no knowledge of the other.
So, both groups started as servants, and over time, evolved to be the embodiment of a class of warrior that, while many aspired to it, few would ever reach. Both were warriors with a code connected to them. Both were known for being allowed to carry weapons and armor in the presence of their lords to protect and serve them. Oddly enough, both of their eras came to an end because of the same weapon, fire arms
There are many more parallels that can be drawn, but these are sufficient enough to see that, regardless of culture, they can more or less be interchangeable by simply saying "servant." And this word holds a great meaning towards a useful way to be chivalrous in the modern world. Someone who aspires towards true chivalry is someone who serves.
I don't mean that you should jump up and join your national military right now, nor do I mean that you should become someones personal bodyguard. A person can serve others simply by being helpful. In serving others, we can find the other person's joy and ease their burden. As Gordon Hinkley once said "He or she who serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served."
Service doesn't have to be a large and exhausting portion of your day, either. Little things matter as well. The key to being helpful is not expecting anything in return from the moment you see the opportunity to help. In that moment, the choice becomes "Do I help them or not?" The key part of it is that the person helping isn't thinking about themselves at all, rather they are there for the other person completely. It is no longer about themselves.
It's like the most basic version of the hero and the villain in any great story. The hero isn't there to make things better for themselves, but rather to help make things better for all, even at the cost of their own self. While they may feel the benefit of winning the day, that wasn't their reason for acting. The villain is looking out for what they can get out of it, regardless of what it does to others. It is a very simplistic version of good and bad, but once you can break down motives to that level, there really are only those two choices.
Be the hero, be the knight, be the servant.
The origin of the word knight comes from the old english work cniht. This word traslates to servant or boy, meaning that a knight was a servant. Just like the minstrels or famers. It didn't refer to only fighting men. Wasn't even directed towards someone with a horse, like the French word "Chivalry." It wasn't till the 12th century that it meant a servant in the militant area.
When it comes down to it, a knight is a servant in that they serve in battle for their lord or employer. The idea that they fight as service isn't unique to Europe, either. In Japan, the word "Samurai" translates to the exact same word: "Servant." In that culture, they started as archers, and evolved to the principal warrior class, just like knights. And these two cultures were on opposite ends of the Earth at the same time, with virtually no knowledge of the other.
So, both groups started as servants, and over time, evolved to be the embodiment of a class of warrior that, while many aspired to it, few would ever reach. Both were warriors with a code connected to them. Both were known for being allowed to carry weapons and armor in the presence of their lords to protect and serve them. Oddly enough, both of their eras came to an end because of the same weapon, fire arms
There are many more parallels that can be drawn, but these are sufficient enough to see that, regardless of culture, they can more or less be interchangeable by simply saying "servant." And this word holds a great meaning towards a useful way to be chivalrous in the modern world. Someone who aspires towards true chivalry is someone who serves.
I don't mean that you should jump up and join your national military right now, nor do I mean that you should become someones personal bodyguard. A person can serve others simply by being helpful. In serving others, we can find the other person's joy and ease their burden. As Gordon Hinkley once said "He or she who serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served."
Service doesn't have to be a large and exhausting portion of your day, either. Little things matter as well. The key to being helpful is not expecting anything in return from the moment you see the opportunity to help. In that moment, the choice becomes "Do I help them or not?" The key part of it is that the person helping isn't thinking about themselves at all, rather they are there for the other person completely. It is no longer about themselves.
It's like the most basic version of the hero and the villain in any great story. The hero isn't there to make things better for themselves, but rather to help make things better for all, even at the cost of their own self. While they may feel the benefit of winning the day, that wasn't their reason for acting. The villain is looking out for what they can get out of it, regardless of what it does to others. It is a very simplistic version of good and bad, but once you can break down motives to that level, there really are only those two choices.
Be the hero, be the knight, be the servant.
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